Are you someone who has hip pain even after receiving a hip implant? You may be affected by the DePuy ASR Hip Implant Recall. Earlier this year, DePuy Orthapaedics recalled two of the company’s major Hip Implant Devices. The make and models of these recalled Hip Implants are: DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System or DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System.
The Recalled Hip Implant Device is made of chromium and cobalt and has a cup that is implanted into the hip with a ball joint, connecting to the leg. Excessive cobalt can damage a patient’s organs. Consequences of cobaltism are tinnitus, vertigo, blindness, deafness, peripheral neuropathy, headaches, optic nerve atrophy, convulsions, cardiomyopathy, and or hypothyroidism. Metallosis is also a very serious problem that can occur with these devices.
According to ABC11, “experts say if a surgeon doesn’t get the cup inserted at just the right angle, the two parts can rub against each other.” When this occurs, the patient can experience extreme pain. Additionally, metal particles can come off and get into the patient’s tissue and bloodstream.
Depuy, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, began making the ASR XL Acetabular in 2003. Duke surgeon Dr. Thomas Vail co-developed this now Recalled Hip Implant Device. These recalled devices using chromium and cobalt metals were promised by the company to be more durable than previous implants. Instead, the now recalled hip implant devices have caused extreme pain and suffering to tens of thousands of patients.
Duke surgeon Dr. Michael Bolognesis said, “Wear is a real problem for hip replacement. It probably causes the majority of failures over time.” Dr. Bolognesis, according to ABC11, scrubbed in with Dr. Vail on more than 200 ASR implants. He is the director of surgery at Duke Orthopaedic. According to Dr. Bolognesis, “Traditional hip replacement will have a metal ball and a plastic liner. Our hope would be that, with those younger patients, these hard-on-hard bearings might give them an advantage from a standpoint of wear.” So this is how the Hip Implants that are now recalled have been marketed—with young, active patients in mind.
ABC11 says that medical registries around the world have received hundreds of patient complaints regarding the Recalled DePuy ASR Hip Implants. The chief complaint was that the system failed and then it had to be re-implanted. There are also doctors with concern about the possibility of particles from implants getting released into the patient’s bloodstream. This release of particles into the patient’s blood stream may cause deafness, heart failure, and dementia. These are serious concerns! Dr. Bolognesis’s response is, “It’s incredibly concerning.”
After the announcement made by DePuy, they are making recommendations to patients who have the DePuy Recalled ASR Hip Implant to have a blood test in order to check for high levels of chromium and cobalt. It is very important that patients do this and follow up as directed with their medical providers.
