A group of lawsuits filed over the defective Stryker V40 femoral heads of metal hip implants has been consolidated in state court.

The lawsuits were filed against Stryker Corp., alleging that its hip replacement devices containing Stryker V40 femoral heads are defective. According to the plaintiffs, these defective hip implants can corrode and cause serious complications, often forcing patients to undergo further surgeries to correct it.

Consumers asked to have their Stryker lawsuits consolidated, and the New Jersey Supreme Court granted that bid. All pending and future lawsuits filed against Stryker over implants with Stryker V40 femoral heads will be designated as part of this multicounty litigation.

The MCL is assigned to Bergen County and will be overseen by Superior Court Judge Rachelle Harz. Judge Harz also oversees the multicounty litigation surrounding two other hip implant lawsuits: the Stryker Rejuvenate Hip Stem and ABG II Modular Hip Stem components.

Recall of Stryker V40 Femoral Heads

Stryker issued a voluntary recall of its implants containing Stryker V40 femoral heads that were manufactured prior to March 2011. The recall came after the company found “higher than expected” numbers of complaints about failure of the femoral head. Complaints noted that the femoral head would not fully lock onto the stem, known as a “taper lock failure.”

The MCL is not limited to devices that have been recalled, but is open to many kinds of device failures. Defective Stryker LFIT hip devices have been linked with a range of serious complications.

Risks of Stryker V40 Femoral Heads

Stryker hip implants have been linked with fretting and corrosion, which can lead to the release of metal particles into the tissue and bone. This can cause serious problems, including metallosis, a kind of metal poisoning in the bloodstream.

Metallosis problems are often linked with metal-on-metal hip implants, like the Stryker device involved in this lawsuit. These kinds of hip implants allow their metal components to rub together, over time releasing metals like cobalt and chromium into the bloodstream and surrounding tissue. The amount of metal released can be quite excessive, which leads to serious and even permanent problems.

On top of the risk of metallosis, defective Stryker hip implants have also been connected with an increased risk of dislocation or dissociation. The femoral head may separate from the femoral stem, which can require immediate revision surgery and replacement.

Filing a Lawsuit Over Defective Stryker V40 Femoral Heads

Plaintiffs in these Stryker hip implant lawsuits allege that Stryker failed to adequately warn patients of the serious complications associated with Stryker V40 femoral heads, placing company profit over patient safety.

If you or someone you love was implanted with a defective Stryker hip implant and have suffered from these or other side effects, you may be able to file a hip implant lawsuit. Although filing a lawsuit cannot undo the damage done by complications of a defective implant with Stryker V40 femoral heads, it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses and lost wages.