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Thursday, April 9, 2009

Artificial Hips Part of Widespread Hip Recall

By Maxwell Schmickman

Are you one of the many American's who has needed a hip replacement? This procedure, which has been performed for almost forty years, has become increasingly common. When performed correctly, it is a great way to give otherwise healthy patients a new lease on life, and the ability to stay healthy as they enjoy their favorite activities, just as they always have.

The only issue with hip replacements have been their need to be replaced every ten years on average. If you are young when you receive your implant, this can become a problem as you age. To help solve this issue, the Zimmer hip implant was invented. However, it has been proven to be faulty, leading to a massive hip recall.

A hip replacement can be exactly what an older person needs to continue a healthy and active lifestyle without pain. As we age, parts of our body that are constantly under use and stress begin to wear. Because the average American is living such a long life on average, many of these parts start to wear out. One such part of the body is the hip joint. A hip joint that is not functioning properly can lead to large amounts of pain during normal, every day activities. That is why these joints are often replaced with they type of device that is part of the hip recall.

This particular hip recall is being caused by a device that was manufactured by the Zimmer Durom company. It was sold under the promise that it would be the perfect device for a younger person needing a hip replacement. A normal hip replacement device will need to be replaced once every ten years on average. This means that for someone who has the replacement done at a young age, they will be faced with the prospect of several follow up surgeries. The replacement being recalled was supposed to change that, by lasting for the rest of a patients life without the need for replacement.

These claims were actually false. At a clinic where many of the devices were installed, a doctor noted that twelve percent of patients who received the Zimmer Durom implant needed to have them surgically replaced within two years. This number is much higher than it should be given their claims of longevity, and it much higher than that of even a traditional implant. The discrepancy led to calls for a hip recall. Zimmer Durom claimed that the high failure rates at the clinic were caused by doctor error, but in fact, in their own internal study, seven percent of the devices failed within two years. Because of this high number, the company pulled the hip replacement device in July 2008.

If you or a loved one received a hip replacement at any point before July 2008, contact your doctor immediately to see if it is part of the hip recall. If it is, even if you do not need an immediate surgical replacement, you may be qualified to join a class action suit against the Zimmer Durom company. - 17273

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