An Illinois man has filed a Stryker metal-on-metal hip implant lawsuit against the medical device company, alleging that the man’s hip replacement surgery ended in numerous problems that left him permanently disfigured and required at least one revision procedure.

Plaintiff James Madsen underwent hip replacement surgery on May 5, 2011, in which the Stryker Rejuvenate metal-on-metal hip implant product was used. Initially, he exhibited no problems during a few follow-up appointments. However, roughly a year later he began complaining of pain and irritability, according to the Stryker hip lawsuit.

In February 2013, Madsen underwent an MRI and no issues were found. However, blood tests indicated that there were high levels of cobalt in his blood, a sign of metallosis that did not diminish. Metallosis is the build-up of metal debris in the soft tissues of the body, which causes inflammation and damage to the tissue. According to Madsen’s metal-on-metal hip implant lawsuit, these were signs of device failure.

Madsen and his wife claim that the titanium and cobalt chromate components that the hip replacement device is made with has been linked to corrosion “since the 1980s.”  Stryker and subsidiary Howmedica Osteonics, however, claim that the alloy would resist “corrosion and fretting.”

According to an urgent field safety notice and subsequent Stryker hip recall notice, risks for patients were due to corrosion and fretting “at or about the modular-neck junction, which may result in adverse local tissue reactions manifesting with pain and/or swelling.” These are also the precursors for metallosis side effects.

Madsen alleges in the Stryker hip lawsuit that by using a streamlined FDA approval process, there was limited testing for the device. While the federal agency deemed the implant similar to previous devices, the metal-on-metal junction was different, as shown in a higher number of adverse event reports, according to the complaint.

The Stryker metal hip implant failure lawsuit is James Madsen et al. v. Howmedica Osteonics Corporation et al., Case No. 13-cv-1415, U.S. District Court, Central District of Illinois.

If you or someone you know has experienced severe pain as a result of problems with a metal-on-metal hip implant and especially if you have had or will soon have a revision procedure, legal options may be available to you. Learn more by visiting the Metal on Metal Replacement Hip Implant Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. There, you can get a free case eligibility review by metal-on-metal hip implant specialists. Qualified individuals will also be contacted for a free consultation with a Stryker metal-on-metal hip implant lawsuit lawyer. Start today and find out if your claim is eligible.