Defective Hip Replacements: What Happened?

A defective hip replacement can have extremely detrimental consequences that range anywhere from permanent injury and additional surgeries to possible death. These types of injuries have extreme emotionally damaging effects on the individual and the family. In many cases, they can also cause a lot of financial stress and hardship.

Hip replacement surgeries are performed every day. Unfortunately, it is not the procedure itself that is creating problems and concerns for the patient. The quality of the prosthesis used in the procedure is the focus of concern.

The Defect

An artificial hip is made up of two parts. These pieces were created to duplicate the ball-and-socket design. A metal ball with a stem fits into the thigh bone (femur), and the socket is a titanium shell lined with polyethylene that fits against the pelvic bone. The titanium was designed to be porous so it will fuse to the bone.

After eight weeks of investigation in December of 2000, Sulzer Orthopedics determined that the titanium shell of its hip replacement product was defective. The result was that 17,500 shells were recalled. Ninety percent of them had been implanted in U.S. patients. Sulzer controls approximately 11% of the hip replacement market. In the products where the shell is cemented to the pelvic bone, the parts were not found to be defective.

The problem was traced to four mineral-based oils used in the lubricants during the manufacturing process. These oils were not intended to have any contact with the human body. The problem involved leaking oil that had seeped into the porous titanium. After the patient’s implant surgery, the oil prevented the shell and pelvic bone from bonding properly.

This caused the shell to loosen and move causing a build-up of scar tissue. In some cases, the result was further permanent bone loss. In most cases, within six months of surgery, patients began experiencing the following symptoms:

• Pain when rising from a seated position

• Pain in the groin and inner thigh

• Weight-bearing pain, particularly in the buttocks

The result of these defective implants is that the patients not only had to undergo one tough surgery, but now have to repeat the process and live with irreversible damage that the defective device has caused.

It is estimated that nearly 310,000 Americans have partial or total hip replacement surgery each year. Most operations are performed to relieve the pain of arthritis. The cost of this surgery runs between $20,000 and $50,000. Hip replacement surgery is believed to become even more common as the population ages.

Patients who have undergone hip replacement surgery are encouraged to schedule an appointment with their physician to determine if their orthopedic implant is one of the models recalled. Surgical steps can be taken to fix the problem, but the longer the problem is left untreated, the worse the outcome may be. Physicians can thoroughly assess the situation to determine if any damage has occurred due to a faulty implant. In some cases, compensation may be available.
Sulzer is not the only manufacturer of defective hip replacement products. Before considering any type of hip replacement surgery, conduct some research on your own.