Rottenstein Law Group Learns of FDA Metal Study Request from DePuy and Other Hip Replacement Manufacturers

(New York, NY, May 16, 2011) The Rottenstein Law Group, which represents clients with claims stemming from the failures of defective hip replacement devices manufactured and sold by DePuy Orthopaedics, a division of Johnson & Johnson, has learned that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has requested that DePuy, along with other implant manufacturers, study the metal compositions used in their products to determine whether or not the components are causing an unsafe rise of metal levels in the blood of patients implanted with the devices.
In August, 2010, the FDA requested a recall of DePuy’s ASR hip replacement systems, due to an unacceptably high rate of failure. The devices were failing an estimated 12 percent of patients within five years of initial implantation. Currently, the FDA is also receiving complaints about DePuy’s Pinnacle hip replacement systems; to date, there have been more than 1,300 reports citing that the device loosens and causes severe pain when the recipient engages in simple movements and normal, everyday activities. The other serious side effect reported is metal flaking off the device and embedding itself into the surrounding tissue, putting the recipient at risk of developing metal poisoning. At least one plaintiff has already filed a lawsuit claiming this very issue with his Pinnacle hip replacement system.
The requested study of metal-on-metal hip implants comes on the heels of reports in medical literature, citing “a small number of patients in which high levels of metal ions in the bloodstream may have caused other types of symptoms or illnesses elsewhere in the body, including effects on the heart, nervous system and thyroid gland.”
The Rottenstein Law Group has been reporting on the additional possible side effects of metal-on-metal hip implants since the ASR systems’ recall last year. There have been more than 1,000 lawsuits filed to date, from an estimated 93,000 patients worldwide, who received DePuy implants. There have been additional complaints received by the FDA concerning the older, Pinnacle systems, but no recall has officially been requested.
Based on this information, the Rottenstein Law Group is advising anyone with a friend or relative who has undergone a hip replacement procedure to reach out to that person and recommend that he or she consult a physician immediately and then speak to a qualified personal injury lawyer. The Rottenstein Law Group lawyers have a total of more than 25 years of experience fighting for the rights of clients who have suffered harm due to the negligence of powerful corporations. Affected individuals can also stay apprised of the latest developments in the DePuy Pinnacle situation by visiting the DePuy Pinnacle Lawsuit Information Center. The site is equipped with easy-to-use social media features which will enable users to spread the word about DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement device failures.
About the Rottenstein Law Group
The Rottenstein Law Group is a New York-based law firm that represents clients in mass tort actions. The firm was founded by Rochelle Rottenstein, a lawyer with over two decades of experience in compassionate representation of clients in consumer product injury, mass tort, and class action law suits. For more information, please visit their Web site, or call (888) 9-ROT-LAW.

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