A couple from Wisconsin recently filed a lawsuit against Howmedica, alleging that its Stryker Accolade hip stem implant system caused serious injuries.

The plaintiff, Steven S., was implanted with a Stryker Accolade hip stem implant in February 2013. However, after implantation of this device, Steven began experiencing a number of serious complications.

According to the lawsuit, implantation of the Stryker Accolade hip stem implant led directly to lasting physical and mental pain and suffering, as well as medical expenses and damages that will continue in the future.

The plaintiff’s injuries include trunnion failure, metal wear and adverse tissue reaction. These complications required that Steven’s Stryker accolade hip stem implant be removed surgically.

The lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including negligence, breach of express warranty, failure to warn, design defect, and manufacturing defect. The plaintiff’s wife, Beth S., also filed a count of loss of consortium.

The Stryker Accolade Hip Stem Implant Lawsuit is Case No. 3:17-cv-00080, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.

Stryker Accolade Hip Stem Implant History

The Stryker Accolade hip stem implant was released onto the market in March 2000 and was designed to be used with a V40 femoral head. The combination of materials in the Stryker Accolade hip system, however,  allows metals to corrode, releasing excessive metal particles into a patient’s bloodstream and body.

Stryker has had to recall some of its metal hip implant devices in the past due to heavy metal corrosion.

Indeed, metal-on-metal hip implant systems like the Stryker Accolade are commonly linked with metallosis, a complication that occurs when the device’s metal components rub together and release excessive levels of cobalt and chromium into the bloodstream and surrounding tissue.

Stryker devices also include a risk of spontaneous dislocation or dissociation. These complications can often require revision surgery to replace a defective hip implant, which in itself can be painful, costly, and open patients up to further health risks.

95 percent of patients who suffered from failed metal-on-metal hip implant devices had to go through revision surgery within three years of the initial implant, a 2012 study published in Orthopedics reports.

Filing a Stryker Accolade Hip Stem Implant Lawsuit

If you or someone you love was implanted with a Stryker accolade hip stem implant and have suffered from these or other side effects, you may be able to file a Stryker lawsuit. Filing a lawsuit can result in financial compensation that can help with medical expenses and other financial losses felt as a result of these injuries.

Spouses of those who have suffered from defective metal-on-metal hip implants may follow Beth S.’s example and sue for what is known as loss of consortium, or the loss of intimacy with their spouse due to Stryker complications.

If you have suffered from any side effects after being implanted with a Stryker Accolade hip stem implant, you may be able to file a Stryker hip implant lawsuit.