After receiving numerous reports of knee implant complications, Zimmer voluntarily recalled its Zimmer Persona knee replacement systems just three years after the product was released. Zimmer’s recall came in February 2015, and the FDA announced the Class II recall in March 2015.

Class II recalls by the FDA are issued when “use of, or exposure to, a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.” This type of recall is not as serious as a Class I recall, which the FDA states may cause very serious injury or even death.

About 12,000 Zimmer Persona knee implants were distributed. Patients who were fitted with this implant may potentially suffer from knee implant complications at some point in time. These knee implants may have been surgically placed in patients between March 2012 and March 2015.

Zimmer Persona Knee Implant Complications

Despite being marketed as a device that was superior in anatomical fit as opposed to its competitor models, the Zimmer Persona quickly raised concerns from patients who had the device implanted without the use of cement to bond the metal tibial plates, as is customary in other knee implant applications.

By not having the cement used in the Zimmer Persona knee implant, certain knee implant complications arose that were not previously considered. The Zimmer Persona uses two metal pegs to attach the implant and stabilize it rather than using the traditional cement application. Due to the absence of cement, gaps were discovered between the knee implant and the bone because the device shifted out of place.

The device shifting and in some cases loosening led to knee implant complications like pain and inflammation, knee instability and implant-specific issues including patellar tracking issues, loss of fixation and lack of ingrowth. Some patients have had to undergo revision surgery to remove and replace failed implants.

Fortunately, the revision surgery was able to help a number of patients who had suffered from Zimmer Persona knee implant complications. However, revision surgeries do carry higher risks than initial implant surgeries and can pose additional issues as a subsequent surgery in the same location.

Patients undergoing knee revision surgery may suffer from additional symptoms including surgical site infections, swelling, pain, bone loss, fractures and leg length discrepancy, among other revision knee implant complications.

Taking Legal Action over Knee Implant Complications

If you have suffered from knee implant complications as a result of having been implanted with the Zimmer Persona, you may be eligible to take legal action against the product manufacturer. Individuals who have gone on to file products liability lawsuits have accused the manufacturer of defective design, defective manufacturing and defects in marketing practices, such as failure to properly warn patients and physicians of all the associated risks that accompany the product.

Successful plaintiffs may be eligible to recover damages related to medical expenses and medical monitoring, compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages and more. An experienced attorney familiar with knee implant complications resulting from the Zimmer Persona can review your case at no charge and can help guide you as you consider litigation against the manufacturer.