Thousands of orthopedic patients in America opt to get a DePuy hip implant, only for many of them to be forced to undergo a DePuy ASR hip revision not long after.

These patients may have been under the impression that their DePuy ASR hip implants were safe choices that would improve their lives, but they later suffered complications that forced the need for DePuy ASR hip revision surgery.

Due to numerous injury reports, Johnson & Johnson eventually recalled the DePuy ASR hip implant in August 2010. The FDA announced this voluntary recall of 93,000 DePuy ASR hip implants across the world, with 37,000 implants recalled in the United States.

According to data released from the United Kingdom joint registry, patients faced a 13% increased risk of having to undergo a DePuy ASR hip revision surgery.

The FDA also noted that the DePuy ASR hip implant complications were similar to those linked to another Johnson & Johnson metal on metal hip implant, the DePuy Pinnacle. The complications reported with metal-on-metal DePuy hip implants, which often result in a DePuy ASR hip revision surgery, may include:

• Dislocated Hip
• Metallosis or Blood Metal Poisoning
• Loss of Bone Strength or Density
• Tissue Death in the Implant Area
• Formation of Pseudotumors
• Corrosion or Fretting
• Degenerative Heart Disease
• Device Failure
• Debilitating Pain

Overview of Metal Hip Implant Complications

Revision surgery is considered riskier than the initial hip implant surgery. But patients may not have any other way to correct their debilitating implant side effects. Many of the complications associated with metal-on-metal hip implants stem from the ball and socket components of the device that are meant to imitate hip joint movements.

However, these metal components cause metal ions to be shed directly into the bloodstream, often leading to other implant complications that create the need for a DePuy ASR hip revision surgery. Even after corrective surgery is conducted, patients often have to contend with a lengthy recovery process and have to be vigilant for any recurring problems.

When metal on metal hip implants were first released into the United States, they were marketed to be superior to plastic and ceramic implants. Manufactures advertised them as longer-lasting and more durable than other options, with most models being customizable to patients.

However, it was not long until patients started reporting metal hip implant complications, with many of them needing revision surgery. Even though DePuy ASR hip revision surgeries can be risky and expensive to patients, Johnson & Johnson allegedly failed to warn patients against these complications before the device was recalled.

In addition, there is a DePuy ASR settlement offer applicable to patients who had to undergo revision surgery due to DePuy ASR hip implant complications starting in March 2015. Potential claimants should contact a knowledgeable hip implant lawyer to determine eligibility for a DePuy ASR hip implant lawsuit.