Another lawsuit has been filed against corporations involved in the development, design, manufacture, distribution, and sale of medical prosthetics, alleging that surgical bone cement products including Simplex bone cement may cause patients to suffer serious complications following joint replacement surgeries.

This lawsuit, filed by plaintiff Frank N. of Kentucky, is one of many medical lawsuits pertaining to injuries caused by Simplex bone cement used in knee replacement surgeries.

Frank filed his lawsuit in October 2018 against DePuy, Johnson & Johnson, Stryker Corporation, Howmedica, and Aap Implants Inc. after allegedly suffering complications following his knee replacement surgery in 2015.  According to his lawsuit, Frank underwent knee replacement surgery on Nov. 16, 2015, at Norton Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Louisville, Ky.

He was implanted with the DePuy Attune Knee, and the prosthetic was secured to his shin and thigh bones using Stryker’s Simplex Bone Cement, the complaint says. Following this initial surgery, Frank alleges that he began to experience complications including tibial loosening, or the loosening of the bond between his prosthetic knee and his bones.

These complications allegedly left Frank with severe and debilitating injuries including pain, instability, and loss of balance. He claims that he required a follow-up surgery on Feb. 19, 2018, to replace his DePuy Attune Knee, as well as to repair damage caused by Simplex bone cement.

What is Bone Cement?

Bone cement is a type of medical adhesive used in orthopedic surgeries to form a bond between a prosthetic device and a patient’s bones. Bone cement is a combination of a polymer poly powder and a methyl methacrylate liquid. When mixed together, these ingredients form a paste that hardens after application and is intended to form a long term bond.

Simplex Bone Cement

Simplex HV bone cement is a surgical product made by Stryker, and was approved by the FDA through the expedited 510(k) approval process. Simplex HV bone cement is a variety of high viscosity bone cement. High viscosity means that the cement is thicker than a medium or low viscosity cement.

Alleged Dangers of Simplex Bone Cement

An article in the Journal of Arthroplasty claims that the use of high viscosity bone cements increases patients’ likelihoods of experiencing tibial debonding after a knee replacement surgery. Tibial debonding occurs when the adhesive joining the tibia (shin bone) and the prosthesis degrades or fails. This can lead to loosening of the joint, which may be extremely painful or debilitating for the patient. Tibial loosening can result in injury, extreme pain, loss of movement, psychological anguish, permanent physical disability, or the need for further surgeries to repair and replace the damaged joint. According to the Journal of Arthroplasty, the use of high viscosity cement has increased in recent years, due to surgeons consistently choosing to use high viscosity instead of low viscosity cement. The rates of tibial loosening following knee replacement surgeries have also increased, leading researchers to speculate that the use of high viscosity cement may increase a patient’s likelihood of developing the painful condition. If you have suffered injuries including tibial debonding after a joint replacement surgery in which Simplex bone cement or other surgical bone cement was used, you may qualify to join a free investigation.Frank’s Simplex HV Bone Cement Lawsuit is Case No. 3:18-cv-00675-CRS, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, Louisville Division.