A Maine woman has joined the multidistrict litigation against Stryker Corporation and its subsidiary, Howmedica Osteonics, alleging the hip implant manufacturer failed to adequately warn consumers about the risks and side effects of their Rejuvenate hip replacement device.

Plaintiff Patricia P. has filed a Stryker hip replacement lawsuit, claiming she suffered injuries directly related to Stryker’s negligent design and manufacturing of the Rejuvenate Modular hip stem device.

Patricia underwent right hip replacement surgery in October 2011 where she received the Stryker Rejuvenate Modular hip replacement. She claims that after the implantation of the hip stem she suffered hip implant complications and later developed symptoms of chromium and cobalt poisoning. She had to have the device removed in April 2015 due to blood abnormalities attributable to the hip implant, the Stryker hip lawsuit claims.

She alleges Stryker knew of the risks of the Rejuvenate hip replacement product but continued to manufacture and market the device without adequate warnings, testing, or approval.

Patricia’s husband has also joined the replacement hip complaint with claims of loss of consortium, or loss of intimacy with a spouse, related to the hip implant injuries his wife suffered as a result of the Stryker hip.

Stryker Hip Implant Problems

The Stryker Rejuvenate hip implant is different from other hip replacement devices because it is not a metal-on-metal hip replacement device. Instead, the Rejuvenate hip replacement device, which uses a ceramic component, was meant as an alternative to the metal-on-metal hip implant devices.

The Stryker hip system was marketed to younger patients as a modular hip replacement, meaning the components were custom-made to fit patients better, which was supposed to result in longer-lasting hip implants that offered optimal range of motion.

Some patients reportedly developed metallosis after having the Stryker Rejuvenate hip implanted. Although it was initially believed that such a condition was not possible because the Stryker Rejuvenate hip implant does not have a metal-on-metal ball and socket design, the Stryker hip device has a metal neck piece that can, under some conditions, rub against a metal stem, causing metallic debris to come loose.

Stryker Hip Recall

In November 2014, Stryker agreed to settle about 4,000 lawsuits involving their Rejuvenate and ABG II hip implants for about $1 billion, which works out to a base payment of $300,000, plus additional compensation for more serious expenses.

The Rejuvenate and ABG II hip implants were recalled in July 2012 due to unexpectedly high rates of fretting and corrosion. Many people have suffered from metal poisoning, catastrophic failure of their implants, and multiple hip revision surgeries.

Stryker Hip Lawsuits

Since the Stryker Rejuvenate Hip Implant Recall last July 2012, Stryker continues to face a growing number of lawsuits as more people experience failure of the defective Rejuvenate hip implants.

About 20,000 devices were implanted in patients before problems were discovered. Stryker is now facing about 5,000 hip implant lawsuits in a federal MultiDistrict Litigation (MDL) and New Jersey state court.

The Stryker Hip Implant MDL is In re: Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 13-2441.