The ASR Hip Implant Recall

ASR hip replacement systems are the subject of a recall by manufacturer DePuy Orthopedics, a subsidiary of medical industry giant Johnson & Johnson. DePuy ASR metal-on-metal hip replacements have an unusually high failure rate, and many people who have received the devices have had to undergo multiple, painful surgeries to revise, replace, or remove the defective hip implant.

Multiple patients have also developed symptoms of cobalt toxicity from the metal in the implant flaking off and entering the bloodstream, causing neuropathy and other damage to the nervous system. As a result, hip replacement patients may experience symptoms they do not even suspect are related to their DePuy hip replacement – such as vision impairment or hearing loss.

DePuy ASR Hip Implant Lawsuit

DePuy hip implant lawsuits have been consolidated into what’s known as multidistrict litigation, In Re: DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. ASR Hip Implant Products, MDL Docket No. 1:10 md 2197. MDL 2197 was consolidated before Judge Katz in the United States Court for the Northern District of Ohio. One feature of an MDL is a Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee, which leads the litigation on behalf of all participants, handling discovery, hearings, trial preparation, and procedural motions on issues common to all plaintiffs. Ed Blizzard, partner at Blizzard Law, serves on the DePuy Hip Replacement MDL Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee.

What Should I Know Before I Have my Defective Implant Removed?

If you know that you have a defective DePuy hip implant and are intending to have it operated on, there are three very important things to know before having it removed:

• Don’t let yourself be intimidated by DePuy. DePuy has been acting aggressively to protect its interests, approaching patients with recalled hip replacements and attempting to persuade them to forego lawsuits in exchange for payment of their medical expenses. DePuy is acting solely in their best interests, not yours. To protect yourself, do not speak with a DePuy representative without an attorney present.
• Your implant is evidence; do not allow DePuy to take it. Your hip implant is an important piece of evidence. It’s also your property. A representative from DePuy may attempt to obtain your defective hip implant after its removal. Before you undergo subsequent hip replacement surgery, be sure to notify both the surgeon and the hospital that the removed implant is to be properly preserved for you, not given to DePuy.
• Do not allow DePuy to take photographs during the surgery. A DePuy representative may attempt to be present during the implant removal surgery itself. Be sure to ask your surgeon if the DePuy representative’s presence is absolutely necessary. You also have the right to request that the representative not be allowed to take photographs or videos during the surgery.