A certain line of Stryker V40 femoral heads have recently been recalled from the market due to serious injury reports submitted by patients. These particular Stryker V40 femoral heads were reportedly recalled due to device failure and metallosis occurrences.

Stryker initiated the recall of the Stryker V40 femoral heads voluntarily after discovering the rate of side effects was higher than expected. The injuries indicated the Stryker V40 femoral heads were prone to corrosion and fretting due to the all-metal hip implant components interacting.

This can cause metal ions to be shed into the bloodstream, leading to the development of blood metal poisoning or metallosis. When metal ions build up around the metal hip implant joint, this can lead to tissue death.

Stryker metal hip implants can also corrode or fret and cause a number of side effects including device failure, the formation of tumors, tissue death and debilitating pain. The Stryker V40 femoral head recall affected the company’s LFIT Anatomic metal hip implant, composed of cobalt or chromium V40 femoral heads.

Stryker’s response to the V40 femoral head injuries stems from previous experience, as Stryker also recalled the Rejuvenate and ABG II Modular hip implants in 2012 also for metal hip implant complications. Patients who received metal hip implants with the Stryker V40 femoral heads reported numerous complications, including but not limited to:

• The femoral head disconnecting from the hip stem
• Hip stem fractures
• Metallosis or blood metal poisoning
• Debilitating pain
• Limited range of motion
• Soft tissue tension
• Noise from implant components interacting
• Fretting and corrosion

Patients who suffered these metal hip implant complications often had to undergo revision surgery to explant and replace the metal hip implant. It is important to note that revision surgery is considered riskier than the initial implant surgery, due to higher risk of infection.

Overview of Metal Hip Implant Problems

When metal-on-metal hip implants were first introduced to the market, they were thought to be overtly superior to plastic or ceramic models. Not only were they marketed to be more durable and longer lasting than other models, many manufacturing companies advertised the implants to be customizable to patients.

Metal hip implants are typically prescribed to patients with active lifestyles who have sustained hip damage from injury or degenerative disease. Even with all these benefits, it was not long that metal hip implant complications were reported.

According to a July 2012 study published in Orthopedics, 95% of patients who experienced metal hip implant failure had to undergo revision surgery within the first three years of getting the hip implant. Many of these patients opted to file legal action soon after, alleging the manufacturers failed to warn them against these complications.

These patients are seeking a number of damages including failure to warn and other counts of negligence, alleging the metal hip implants did not have any indications on the product label. Patients who experienced metal hip implant failure may want to consult a lawyer about the possibility of filing a hip implant lawsuit.