Hip Replacement Surgery and Grounds to Pursue a DePuy Pinnacle Lawsuit

Total hip replacement surgery is an invasive procedure that involves replacement of damaged or diseased bone and cartilage in the hip joint with a prosthetic device that mimics the action of the hip.  This type of surgery is indicated in patients with degenerative arthritis, fractures secondary to osteoporosis, and other conditions that may damage the hip joint and cause pain severe enough to interrupt a patient’s normal daily functioning.  With recent problems regarding the Pinnacle hip replacement system, including high failure rates, recipients should understand the risks of the Pinnacle device to form a good basis for a DePuy Pinnacle lawsuit.

At the start of the surgery, the surgeon will make the incision through layers of the skin and tissue in the front or on the side of the hip. With the use of a saw to cut the thighbone, the surgeon then removes the diseased or damaged ball portion of the joint, and leaves the healthy portion of the bone intact. A metal prosthetic ball replaces the original round ball portion, which is attached to a stem that fits into the healthy portion of the thighbone.  The cup like acetabular surface is then prepared by the surgeon through the removal of any damaged cartilage. The replacement socket is then attached either with cement or using a porous coating, which allows an uncemented device to eventually adhere with new bone growth. The Pinnacle hip replacement could prematurely detach and cause grounds for a DePuy Pinnacle lawsuit due to the uncemented acetabular component of the implant.

The Pinnacle hip replacement is classified as a metal-on-metal device.  These devices differ from typical hip replacement systems that involve a synthetic plastic liner inside the socket part of the synthetic joint since they are equipped with a metal liner instead.  Subsequently, a New York Times report alleges that metal-on-metal devices, like the Pinnacle system, increase the risk of metal toxicity in recipients. The metal components of these devices are under constant friction, causing metal particles to be released into the blood stream and surrounding tissue.  Out of the 1,300 complaints currently received by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the Pinnacle hip replacement, the majority of these focused on the premature loosening of the device from the hip bone, leading to failure of the device and multiple DePuy Pinnacle lawsuits.   Patients requiring total hip replacement should know the risks associated with the procedure and with the types of devices that are used.

DePuy has set aside as much as $1 billion in the past for those who have been harmed by defective devices. If you believe you are entitled to proper compensation because your quality of life has been affected, go to the DePuy Pinnacle Lawsuit website now to have your case evaluated by an experienced attorney free of charge.