Patients across the country have been reporting serious Stryker LFIT complications, which eventually spurred the manufacturing company to issue a voluntary recall.

The Stryker LFIT complications listed in patient injury reports indicated corrosion and device failure, with both issues often forcing patients to undergo revision surgery to fix these metal hip implant problems.

Stryker Corporation issued the Stryker LFIT recall after receiving a higher than anticipated number of injury reports. The Stryker recall affects seven different sizes of LFIT V40 metal hip implants, with diameters ranging between 36 to 44 millimeters.

The reports of Stryker LFIT complications have spurred allegations of defective nature, as well as preventing unreasonable risks to patients.

Overview of Stryker LFIT Complications

The recent Stryker LFIT V40 recall was conducted to help prevent future cases of metallosis, or blood metal poisoning, with patients alleging blood metal poisoning directly resulted from Stryker LFIT complications, such as components rubbing together.

Physicians began alerting the patient population to the Stryker LFIT recall in 2016, stating that it was possible for metallosis and sudden device failure to occur. When the all-metal ball and socket components of the devices interact, metal ions can shed into the bloodstream and cause a number of problems.

This rubbing can also lead to device corrosion, which can potentially cause the head to separate from the femoral stem. This problem is called “spontaneous dissociation,” wherein patients then need surgery to remove and replace the device. Stryker LFIT complications listed in injury reports include, but are not limited to:

• Disassociation of Femoral Head from Hip Stem
• Fractured Hip Stem Trunnion
• Metallosis or Blood Metal Poisoning
• Tissue Death
• Fretting
• Corrosion
• Debilitating Pain
• Limited Range of Motion
• Dislocation
• Joint Instability
• Differences in Leg Length

As mentioned before, these metal hip implant defects have forced patients to undergo revision surgery to fix these Stryker LFIT complications. Even though the Stryker LFIT recall helps prevent future metal hip implant failures, it does not help patients who have already had to undergo revision surgery and sustain intense recovery.

Stryker Corporation has been through metal hip implant recalls before, as the company recalled the Rejuvenate and ABG II metal hip implants from the market in 2012. The recall was initiated after the company had received a high number of injury reports indicating corrosion and metallosis.

Similar to the Stryker LFIT complications, Rejuvenate and ABG II injuries allegedly stemmed from the device corroding and fretting while inside the body. In July 2012, a study was published in the Orthopedics medical journal that found 95% of patients who suffered metal hip implant failures had to undergo revision surgery within three years.

The Stryker LFIT metal hip implant was released onto the market through the FDA’s 510(k) process, which allowed it to bypass the strict pre-market study requirements. As long as the device proves to work at an equivalent level with a similar product already on the market, it may be eligible for the FDA’s accelerated approval.

Many allege, however, that this policy allows unreasonably dangerous products, like the Stryker LFIT hip implant, to be released into the market. Patients who received the Stryker LFIT hip implant and had to undergo revision surgery may be able to file legal action against the company.