A Maryland woman alleges the manufacturers of a DePuy hip implant knew about defective aspects of the device yet continued to promote it as a safe option for patients.

According to this hip implant lawsuit, plaintiff Sandra C. underwent a right total hip arthroplasty procedure in December 2006. During that procedure she was allegedly implanted with a DePuy Pinnacle metal on metal hip implant device.

The lawsuit says the defendants marketed and described the pinnacle device as uniquely designed to meet the demands of patients and to help reduce pain. She says in her lawsuit that she underwent that surgery with the expectation that the hip replacement would give her better mobility.

Sandra says that shortly after her implantation surgery, wear between the cobalt-chromium metal head and cobalt-chromium metal liner caused toxic cobalt and chromium metal particles to be released into the tissue around the implant and into her blood. Sandra says she experienced significant discomfort, inflammation, and pain in the area around the implant.

In January 2017, Sandra says she had to undergo a right hip revision surgery to remove the implant, because of the severity of the injuries she sustainesd. Her DePuy hip implant lawsuit is seeking compensation for injuries associated with the implantation of the Pinnacle device.

Problems Reported with DePuy Hip Implant

The Pinnacle DePuy hip implant has been associated with a number of different types of problems, some of which have required patients to undergo revision surgery. Approximately 150,000 different pinnacle devices were sold with the Johnson & Johnson logo on the package. Sandra and other plaintiffs argue that they were never told about the possibility of certain serious dangers and side effects, particularly linked to metal poisoning related to the device’s all-metal design.

According to the FDA, every type of hip implant has its own risks and benefit profile. While metal hip implants have been associated with high survivorship rates overall, the use of metal on metal hip implants has also been associated with a variety of different problematic side effects such as metal poisoning in the blood.

The FDA shares that some of the symptoms that can be caused directly by a metal on metal hip implant include numbness, local swelling, pain in the hip and groin, and changes in the ability to walk.

Anyone who experiences these symptoms is encouraged to contact their physician to determine a course of treatment action. Some patients have had to undergo comprehensive revision surgeries as a result of their side effects.

Many of the individuals who have suffered complications of metal on metal hip implants like metal poisoning have chosen to hold manufacturers accountable by taking legal action.

The DePuy Hip Implant Lawsuit is Case No. 3:19-cv-00234-K in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division.