A Stryker hip implant recall could affect 44,000 patients worldwide.

At issue is the LFIT Anatomic V40 femoral head implant, which has been used in conjunction with a variety of Stryker hip replacement products, but the V40 was marketed in conjunction with the Accolade TMZF stem.

The TMZF stem is a replacement part used when patients need a total hip replacement. The stem is a single piece, made of a proprietary titanium alloy and was designed to be implanted into the femur. Stryker’s marketing materials claimed the alloy was stronger and more pliable than other titanium alloys.

Stryker claimed their tests had proven the stem showed improved wear resistance, reducing the risks of metal poisoning from metal shavings that could occur with lesser alloys. The Stryker hip implant recall says otherwise.

Metal Problems

The LFIT V40 femoral head is a modular ball/head made of a cobalt/chromium alloy. Stryker claimed that when used together, the LFIT V40 head and the TMZF stem allowed maximum hip movement with a lowered risk of dislocation.

While Stryker claimed that their different metal combinations were superior, scientists have reported concerns for years that accelerated fretting and corrosion occurs when different metals are combined.

Stryker saw evidence of such problems with metals when it recalled its Rejuvenate and ABG II modular hip implant systems in 2012. Those systems used the same TMZF titanium metal in the femoral stem, and the modular necks of both systems were made of chromium and cobalt. Their recalls were due to “excessive device failure due to fretting and corrosion at the taper junction where these dissimilar metals were joined.”

Stryker Hip Implant Recall Points to Incompatibility Problems

Stryker hip implant recalls are not new, nor are the company’s allegedly false claims of superior metals.

As seen in previous metal-on-metal implants, constant friction results in small metal shavings being released into the body. These tiny particles can burrow into surrounding tissue and cause inflammation or fluid retention. Damaged tissue can die, and metal poisoning can set into the bones and the blood stream.

Blood tests can reveal elevated serum levels of cobalt, chromium and titanium that are a result of the defective parts covered by the Stryker hip implant recall.

The chromium/cobalt femoral head and the titanium stem rub against one another, sometimes causing complete dislocation because of the erosion. In fact, Stryker should not have marketed the Accolade TMZF Stem with anything but ceramic heads, say experts who have analyzed the failed hip implants.

Even if the metals were compatible, the head and neck simply do not fit, allege the lawsuits. The metal heads are too large for the stem, making improper fit another reason for the Stryker hip implant recall.

The stems are designed with a rough surface to encourage the patient’s bone to grow into the stem to stabilize the implant. If bone has grown too deeply into the implant, a surgeon can refuse to attempt removal even when the patient is suffering from Stryker hip implant failure.

In some instances, the femur is cut in half in order to remove the defective stem.

If you or someone you love is suffering from defective hip replacement parts in this Stryker hip implant recall, you could be eligible for compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages, hospitalizations, and other expenses.