Medical technology giant, Stryker Corporation, has issued an urgent voluntary recall of its femoral head implants due to evidence that they may cause serious medical issues.
Femoral head implant recall
Research & Complaints Force Stryker to Recall Femoral Head Implants
“Stryker has received higher than expected complaints of taper lock failure for...LFIT Anatomic CoCr V40TM Femoral Heads.”
In response to widespread patient complaints as well as an alarming investigation conducted by a team of medical doctors at The Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Stryker Corporation has elected to recall its product, LFIT™ Anatomic CoCr V40™ Femoral Heads. The team of doctors, including Laura Matsen Ko, MD, Antonia F. Chen, MD, MBA, Gregory K. Deirmengian, MD, William J. Hozack, MD, and Peter F. Sharkey, MD, published an overview of femoral head implants in the August 17, 2016 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, which warned of the risks of catastrophic implant failure due to severe trunnion corrosion.
In its recall notice, Stryker cited higher than expected rates of complaint by patients of “taper-lock failure,” particularly in products manufactured prior to 2011. These failures present the following hazards to Stryker femoral head implant recipients:
- Disassociation of femoral head from hip stem
- Fractured hip stem trunnion
- Excessive metallic debris
- Insufficient Range of Motion
- Insufficient soft tissue tension
- Noise
- Loss of implant: bone fixation strength
- Excessive wear debris (polymeric)
- Implant construct with a shortened neck length
Patients with LFIT™ Anatomic CoCr V40™ Femoral Head implants may suffer the following medical issues and injuries:
- Pain
- Loss of mobility
- Inflammatory response
- Adverse local tissue reaction
- Dislocation
- Joint instability
- Revision to alleviate hazardous situation
- Pain associated with implant loosening
- Periprosthetic fracture
- Leg length discrepancy
Not Stryker’s First Implant Recall
Stryker is the same company which issued a recall in 2012 for its Rejuvenate and ABG II modular-neck hip stem implants after thousands of patients found the implants were causing them severe medical issues. In November 2014, Stryker settled several thousand claims over the implants for $1.43 billion.
Lawsuits Against Stryker for Femoral Head Implants
While information concerning Stryker’s hazardous LFIT™ Anatomic CoCr V40™ Femoral Head implants has only recently been made public, the number of people and severity of their injuries will almost certainly lead to lawsuits against the manufacturer, similar to those seen in the hip stem implant recall. Moreover, should the removal of Stryker’s implant devices, followed by a second surgical procedure to replace the defective implant, become necessary in the future, patients would be forced to undergo multiple protracted, painful, and costly medical procedures. Unfortunately, the investigative work done by Philadelphia-based doctors Laura Matsen, Antonia F. Chen, Gregory K. Deirmengian, William J. Hozack, and Peter F. Sharkey, suggests that catastrophic implant failure could become increasingly prevalent with long-term followup.
Implant Defect & Recall Attorneys
If you or someone you love has suffered as a result of an implant device or system, please contact our experienced mass tort legal team for a free consultation at 1-866-462-3330 or by using our online contact form.
