Tennessee Lawyer Fighting Back For Stryker Hip Implant Recall Victims

A Tennessee man, with the help of a medical malpractice lawyer, filed a complaint on August 17, 2017 against the medical conglomerate Howmedica Osteonics (d.b.a. Stryker Orthopedics) and Stryker Corporation –  one of the world’s foremost medical technology companies. The man claimed he experienced severe injuries after being fitted by a Stryker LFIT femoral head hip implant. His lawyer is currently building the defense and the case is pending in the United States District Court.

The claim details the how the main was implanted with the popular Stryker Accolade TMZF hip stem as well as the LFIT anatomic CoCr V40 femoral head back in March of 2014. The surgery was performed at the well known Centennial Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

Permanent Damage is Caused by Metallosis

Shortly after being fitted with the full hip replacement, the plaintiff says  he began to feel extreme discomfort around the implant area. A diagnostic checkup showed his blood to contain large levels of the metals cobalt, chromium, and titanium. Doctors  became concerned about “metallosis”, a condition which metals from the hip replacement rub against one another causing small metal ions or particles or fragments to be released into the bloodstream.

Metallosis is a serious health condition that can cause hearing loss and visual distortions, kidney failure, thyroid issues, nerve damage, memory loss, cognitive impairment, and heart problems. In general, metallosis signifies the parts of the hip replacement are corroding or breaking down in the patient’s body. If not removed, the symptoms exhibited will continue to escalate.

Once the doctors recommended to the plaintiff that he have the hip replacement removed as soon as possible. During the surgery, doctors discovered the device had failed and caused extreme deformation of the Accolade TMZF. The surrounding tissue and muscle had been permanently damaged.

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In 2000, Stryker released the Accolade TMZF device. Made of titanium, the corporation heavily promoted the device to potential patients stating it could maximize the range of motion in the hip, prevent dislocation,  and increase stability. Stryker said the device should be used alongside the V40 femoral head which was made of cobalt alloy and chromium.

The company has said their medical testing showed no corrosion with the trio of metal material; however, multiple patient reports contradicted their findings. In August 2016, Stryker made an urgent recall of certain sizes of the V40 femoral head because of a defective taper lock. They also said the devices could cause wear and tear, adverse reactions, and the need to have the device removed through surgery. The plaintiff says he experienced all of these problems during the year of 2014 which led him to having his hip replacement completely removed.

Damages for Negligence Are Sought

The plaintiff’s lawyer notes that Stryker has a long history of recalls directly related to their metal devices. In 2012, the Rejuvenate and ABG II modular hip systems were recalled. They contained titanium, chromium, and cobalt and also caused corrosion. His lawyer is accusing Stryker of negligence, failure to warn, design manufacturing defect, and a breach of warranty. Compensatory and punitive damages are being sought.

Have You Been Fitted with a Stryker Accolade TMZF Hip Stem and LFIT Anatomic CoCr V40 Femoral Head?

If you or a family member has undergone a full hip replacement with a Stryker TMZF or LFIT hip device, and has experienced symptoms discussed above, contact The Higgins Firm PLLC as soon as possible at +1 615-924-8500 .