Numerous patients have opted to have an ASR metal on metal hip replacement prosthetic implanted to restore mobility and return to normal life. However, many have reported suffering major complications and needing revision surgery soon after the ASR metal on metal hip replacement prosthetic was implanted.

DePuy Orthopaedics has faced major legal action from patients who had the ASR metal on metal hip replacement implanted, for allegedly failing to warn them against potential complications. A recent mass settlement was set up for patients who had to undergo early revision surgery due to unexpected metal hip implant problems.

This settlement is now open to patients who had an ASR metal on metal hip replacement implanted and had to undergo revision surgery since March 2015. This settlement followed numerous injury reports that were made soon after a massive recall was conducted in August 2010, taking the DePuy ASR metal on metal hip replacement prosthesis off the market.

This voluntary recall reportedly withdrew 93,000 DePuy ASR metal on metal hip replacement prostheses worldwide, with 37,000 in the United States. This recall was initiated after a United Kingdom joint registry found 13% of DePuy ASR hip implant patients required early revision surgery due to painful metal hip implant complications.

Overview of Metal on Metal Hip Replacement Complications

The complications associated with the DePuy ASR metal on metal hip replacement system are similar to those reported with other metal hip implants. Many of the reported problems stem from the all metal ball and socket joint components, which work together to simulate hip joint function and movement.

These components may cause metal ions to be shed into the bloodstream. This can quickly compound into serious health problems including cancer, degenerative heart disease, and severe bone damage.

Patients who experience these problems will also most likely experience debilitating pain, infection, and device failure. Often, patients have to undergo revision surgery to explant and replace the metal hip implant in order to resolve these problems.

It is important to note that revision surgery is considered riskier than the initial implant procedure due to the higher risk of infection.

Since 2008, up to 400 injury reports of DePuy ASR metal on metal replacement problems were submitted to the FDA. This is three years after the device entered the market in 2005 through the FDA’s 510(k) program.

Under this program, medical devices can enter the market if they prove to work at an equivalent level with a similar product already available to the public. While this allows for many much needed medical devices and medications to enter the market, this may also allow for mistaken estimation of the product’s risk to benefit ratio.

Patients seeking settlements from DePuy Orthopaedics allege the company failed to warn them against the complications associated with metal on metal hip implants like the ASR. Johnson & Johnson is currently facing around 8,000 lawsuits regarding the DePuy ASR metal on metal hip replacement, with patients alleging various counts of negligence and failure to warn.