DePuy Pinnacle Hip Replacement Implant Lawsuits

DePuy Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System Hip Implant Metal-on-Metal | Lawsuits, Lawyers | Side Effects: Osteolysis, Osteomylitis, Hip Pain, Thigh Pain, Groin Pain, Severe Swelling, Disabling Pain, Loosening of Implant, Unexplained Hip Pain, Difficulty Standing or Walking, Loss of Mobility

Are you a victim of a DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement implant premature failure? The metal-on-metal version of the DePuy Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System, made by DePuy Orthopaedic, may be associated with early premature failure. Other complications and side effects may form due to this early failure like severe swelling, disabling pain, unexplained hip pain, difficulty standing or walking, loss of mobility, and other problems due to the hip failure. If you are suffering from any of these side effects of early failure this may result in a need for revision surgery.
Gilman Law LLP, a leading national law firm with over 30 years of experience protecting the rights of victims is actively evaluating DePuy Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System Hip Implant device lawsuits for patients that have experienced failure of their DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement implant within a few years of implantation. If you have experienced complications following hip replacement surgery that involved the all-metal version of the DePuy Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System, we would like you to contact us immediately.

Recent lawsuits involving the DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement implants allege that design defects similar to those detailed by the FDA may make the devices susceptible to premature failure.

Some of the problems that have sparked the filing of DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement implants lawsuits include:

FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System regarding the DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement implant

In 2010, the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System received nearly 550 reports of problems in patients who had received the metal-on-metal version of the DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement. Many of those reports involved complaints of disabling hip and groin pain, doctors finding metal particles and signs of metallosis during revision surgery, and reports of acetabular cups moving out of position. This particular DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement is a metal-on-metal device in which the articulating surfaces are made from cobalt-chrome. This design purportedly offers high wear resistance and has much smaller debris particles than those with metal-on-plastic devices. However, metal-on-metal hip implants like the DePuy Pinnacle device are increasingly causing concerns.

FDA Info for Metal on Metal Hip Replacement Implants

According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), because the metal ball and the metal cup on these types of hip implants slide against each other during walking or running, some tiny metal particles may wear off of the device and enter into the space around the implant. Some of the metal ions from the metal implant or from the metal particles may even get into the bloodstream. It is known that over time, the metal particles around some implants can cause damage to bone and/or tissue surrounding the implant and joint. According to the FDA, this is sometimes referred to as an “adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR)” or an “adverse reaction to metal debris (ARMD).” Such a reaction may cause the implant to become loose or cause pain. Ultimately this can require a revision surgery where the old device is removed and replaced with another one,” the FDA has said.

The New York Times released a report in 2010 explaining that researchers had found a new risk with metal-on-metal hip replacement systems. According to the report, metal components constantly rubbing together may cause bits of metal to flake off and embed themselves in the soft tissue surrounding the device or enter the patient’s bloodstream. When this occurs, the levels of these metals could potentially build up to dangerous levels and the patient could develop metal toxicity—also called “metallosis.” Metal toxicity is a dangerous condition that can adversely affect the normal operation of the heart, the nervous system, and the thyroid.

Other problems due to the wearing down of metal-on-metal implants are Metallosis and Cobalt Poisoning Metallosis and Defective Hip Replacements

In light of recent hip implant recalls, surgeons have come forward to reveal high failure rates in many large diaphragm metal-on-metal implants, and the significant damage they cause by way of metal wear debris. Metal wear debris has been found to cause soft tissue damage in and around the hip joint. Many studies suggest this is caused by both direct killing of the tissue, and also by a stimulation of an inflammatory process. Often patients who have been implanted with large diaphragm metal-on-metal hip implants have discovered pseudo-tumors growing in the tissue surrounding the metal hip. These benign tumors are growths of pus and scar tissue resulting from this inflammatory process that has occurred in response to the foreign object implanted in the body.

Cobalt Poisoning and Defective Hip Replacements

The use of cobalt in metal-on-metal implants and the wear of these implants causing metallosis can result in cobalt poisoning. The harmful side effects of a hip implant failing due to wear include Osteolysis, Metallosis, or Cobalt Poisoning.

The harmful side effects of a hip implant failing due to wear includes Osteolysis, Metalosis, or Cobalt Poisoning.

Osteolysis: Osteolysis involves wear particles (worn off the contact surface of the artificial ball and socket joint). As the body attempts to clean up these wear particles (typically consisting of plastic or metal) it triggers an autoimmune reaction which causes resorption of living bone tissue. Osteolysis has been reported to occur as early as 12 months after implantation and is usually progressive. This may require a revision surgery (replacement of the prosthesis).

Legal Help for Victims of DePuy Pinnacle Hip Replacement Implant Side Effect Complications

If you or someone you know are experiencing pain or suffering any adverse side effects following a DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement implant procedure, contact Gilman Law LLP. The DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement implant lawyers at Gilman Law LLP are now reviewing and investigating potential DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement implant lawsuits for individuals who have experienced problems. If you had a DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement implant, Gilman Law LLP is providing free consultations and claim evaluations. For a free evaluation of your case, please fill out the online form on the left or call Toll Free at 1-888-252-0048.