A new plaintiff has come forward and filed a metal on metal hip lawsuit against DePuy Orthopaedics Inc. and its parent company, Johnson & Johnson Inc.

The metal on metal hip lawsuit concerns the Pinnacle hip prosthetic device, which was made to be used in the reconstruction of diseased or damaged hip joints through a total hip arthroplasty (THA) surgery.

Plaintiff Alma T., a citizen and resident of Dublin, Texas, alleges personal injury as a direct consequence of being implanted with an allegedly defective Pinnacle acetabular cup system.

According to the narrative of this metal on metal hip lawsuit, the Pinnacle hip device has not been recalled by DePuy Orthopaedics Inc. despite numerous reports of adverse injurious conditions leading to prosthetic failure and the need for hip revision surgery.

The total Pinnacle hip device is comprised of four parts that mimic the form and function of the natural hip: a femoral head, a femoral stem that anchors the head into the thigh bone, the acetabular cup that affixes to the acetabular opening in the pelvic cage, and its interior liner.

The reported problems with this prosthetic have centered around the articulation between the metal femoral head and the metal acetabular liner known as Ultamet.

With the Pinnacle hip product, the liner, which covers the inside of the metal cup, also comes in plastic and ceramic varieties. The metal on metal hip lawsuit alleges that the DePuy Company, however, purportedly named the cobalt-chromium liner in such way as to promote it as a superior choice.

The Plaintiff’s Story

According to the metal on metal hip lawsuit, Alma had her left hip replaced toward the end of October 2007. The THA surgery took place at Lake Granbury Medical Center in Granbury, Texas and the procedure was performed by orthopedic physician Dr. Corey Mark.

During the surgery, the plaintiff was implanted with a DePuy Pinnacle Sector II Acetabular Cup, DePuy Pinnacle metal insert, DePuy Articul/Eze Metal on Metal Femoral Head, DePuy Summit Tapered Hip Stem W/ Porocoat, and a DePuy Apex Hole Eliminator.

Four months later, according to the metal on metal hip lawsuit, Alma also had her right hip replaced at the same hospital by the same doctor. The Pinnacle prosthetic device components were all the same save for the use of a DePuy Pinnacle 300 Acetabular Cup.

Within a few years, the plaintiff claims she experienced pain in the right hip that interfered with her daily functions and enjoyment of life. Her orthopedic physician recommended revision surgery due to symptoms of prosthetic failure, and this procedure was completed slightly over ten years from the date of the original implantation.

Alma was allegedly found to have metallosis as a direct consequence of the metal on metal hip prosthetic. Metallosis occurs when a metal implant sheds metal particles into the surrounding tissue. The cobalt and chromium particles produce heavy metal toxins which enter the bloodstream and poison the body in excess.

Metal poisoning has been found to contribute to pain-inducing but benign tumors surrounding the joint that cause severe swelling and interfere with ambulation. It can also contribute to bone loss, fracturing, and dislocation.

These things combine to make adherence of a subsequent prosthetic more challenging and risky. Excessive metals in the blood can cause certain types of cancer and contribute to a type of heart disease if it goes unchecked over time.

The DePuy Pinnacle Hip Implant Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-00631-K in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division.