There have been several cases of some metal-on-metal (MoM) hip replacements wearing off sooner than expected, medical expert says. Those who usually undergo MoM hip replacements are those suffering from damaged hips caused by a fracture or caused by arthritis. Instead of relieving a person from those pains, their situation worsens, causing them to file a lawsuit against DePuy Orthopaedics, a unit of Johnson & Johnson, However it seems that the
victims of the defective DePuy hip implants may be running out of time to sue.
The deterioration usually affects the bone and tissue around the hip which is causing concerns that it may shred off tiny particles which could leak traces of metal into the bloodstream and threaten a person of being completely disabled or even being poisoned.
Meanwhile, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued new guidelines that larger types of metal-on-metal (MoM) devices should be checked every year while the implant is in place. This is done so that any potential complications can be picked up early.
Osteoarthritis is the most common cause why several people with excruciating pain on the hip decides to undergo hip replacement. It is an age-related “wear and tear” type of arthritis. Like other chronic conditions, It has no single, specific cause. Instead, there are several factors involved in the disease, including heredity and lifestyle. It usually occurs in people 50 years of age and older and often in individuals with a family history of arthritis.
The gravity of pain in men and women suffering from osteoarthritis may vary, depending on which joint are affected and how seriously they are being afflicted. The most common indications are experiencing stiffness, particularly, first thing in the morning or after resting, and pain. The most commonly affected joints are the lower back pains, feet and knees. When those joints are in pain, the person may have difficulty in doing simple tasks such as walking, climbing stairs and lifting objects.
Out of the 8,000 lawsuit filed over the company’s defective DePuy ASR hip replacement since it was recalled in 2010, only three of it has been paid for now. However, the settlement amount has not been considered as a bench mark for the pending lawsuits and it is being looked upon as a small pay-out. For more information, one may log on to The
DePuy Hip Recall Center.
URL REFERENCES:
arthritistoday.org/conditions/osteoarthritis/all-about-oa/what-is-oa.php
nhs.uk/news/2012/02February/Pages/latest-news-metal-hip-replacement.aspx
nhs.uk/conditions/Hip-replacement/Pages/Introduction.aspx
