If you have had hip replacement surgery recently, you are probably aware of the DePuy hip implant recall. The recall, which affects the ASR Acetabular System and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System, was issued in August 2010 after DePuy acknowledged that their ASR units fail at a rate twice the industry average. As a result, ASR recipients needed to undergo another surgery to correct the procedure.
In fact, 1 in 8 patients will require revision surgery within the first five years of receiving a new hip. 93,000 implants were sold worldwide, and about 10,000 patients will need another surgery.
Perhaps you are a part of that large number who needs revision surgery. DePuy has instructed patients to contact their orthopedic surgeon (or the hospital where the hip replacement procedure was done, if you can’t remember your surgeon’s name). Furthermore, the company insists that you get checked out by your doctors even if you are not experiencing painful side effects.
Of course, if you are experiencing pain and discomfort, you will want to determine whether your DePuy replacement hip is defective as soon as possible. If you experience any of the symptoms below, you should not hesitate to schedule the necessary testing with your surgeon
- Unexplained hip, thigh, or groin pain
- Feeling pain while walking
- Pain when rising from a seated position
- Bearing weight causes pain
The symptoms mentioned above could indicate a defective hip implant, which means that it is failing in one of the following ways:
- The implant is not attached to the bone, which makes it lose
- The implant is dislocated (because the moving parts are no longer aligned)
- Your hip bone is fractured
DePuy promised to cover for the costs of testing and treatment, even for revision surgery for the affected patents. However, it is still to be clarified as to how much the company will give or reimburse the patients who are suffering from pain. In order to get the financial assistance you deserve, seek legal counsel from a law firm who specializes in cases like this.