Zimmer Holdings Inc. is a global manufacturer of metal-on-metal hip implant products including complete revision systems, femoral components and acetabular components. Just one of many Zimmer products, the Durom Cup, was implanted in more than 12,000 patients from 2006 to 2008 alone.
Unfortunately, the Durom Cup was temporarily pulled off the market when numerous reports of complications began to surface, forcing many injured patients to file a Zimmer hip replacement lawsuit in the hopes of recovering financial compensation. At The Sanders Firm, our legal team advocates for the rights of those who have suffered injuries from defective products.
Zimmer metal hip products
The hip joint consists of a femoral head, which rests atop of the femur. The joint fits inside of the acetabulum, which is a concave area in the pelvis. When a patient undergoes hip revision surgery, the acetabulum may be lined with a cup, which is referred to as an acetabular component. The patient may also have the femoral head replaced and a rod inserted into the femur to hold the new joint in place.
Zimmer Holdings Inc. manufactures both acetabular components that line the acetabular cup and femoral components that fit in the femur and create a new femoral head. Femoral components include the M/L Taper with Kinectiv Technology and the Versys Epoch FullCoat Hip, among others. Acetabular components including the Trilogy Acetabular Hip System and the Durom Cup. Zimmer also has complete hip revision systems, such as the Wagner SL Revision Hip.
Many of Zimmer’s products are metal components and its revision systems are metal-on-metal (MoM), which means both the femoral head and acetabular lining are made of metal parts. Metal-on-metal hip components became popular in recent years as an alternative to traditional hip replacement systems that included ceramic components.
Dangers of metal-on-metal hip implants
Metal-on-metal hip replacement systems were marketed primarily to younger consumers as a longer-lasting alternative that could provide a broader range of motion and more flexibility than traditional replacement joints. As many as 10 percent of all hip replacement procedures between 2006 and 2009 used MoM products and the majority of these procedures were performed on individuals aged 50 or younger. In fact, for patients within this age group, nearly half of all surgical hip replacement or revision procedures used metal-on-metal components.
Several of the metal-on-metal systems, including those produced and sold by Zimmer Holdings Inc., came to the market after going through the FDA’s 501(K) clearance process. This is a simpler, expedited approval process that permits the sale of a product with limited or no dedicated human testing. This is permitted because the product is considered very similar to existing medical devices on the market. The absence of testing, however, may have resulted in dangerous products being released onto the market.
In July of 2008, Zimmer suspended sales of the Durom Cup because of a high rate of reported failures of the product. Though not technically a hip recall, the company subsequently determined that it was surgeons who were to blame for any problems and that the Durom Cup was not defective. After updating the surgical instructions, the product was re-released.
Many medical experts, however, believe that this product and other Zimmer hip components are still not safe. Larry Dorr, the director of the Institute for Arthritis Research and Education, identified a high failure rate among certain Zimmer products including the Durom Cup. Instead of lasting 15 years as promised, the devices were failing quickly and making revision surgery necessary. Dorr alerted the FDA and Zimmer to the failure rate but the company continues to market and sell hip replacement products despite evidence of serious Zimmer hip complications.
Zimmer hip replacement lawsuits consolidated
Patients who are harmed by medical devices like Zimmer hip implants have legal rights. Zimmer Durom Cup lawsuits have been consolidated in a multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey. MDL coordinates similar civil cases before a single judge for pretrial proceedings. That judge can then issue rulings that are applicable to all pending claims, thus allowing cases to be handled more expediently.
MDLs are appropriate when plaintiffs have been harmed by a similar damaging product but have experienced different types of health problems as a result. For some plaintiffs who’ve brought a Zimmer hip lawsuit, the problem is a failure of the Durom Cup to adhere to the bone and remain in place, resulting in unexpected movement of the hip joint. For others, metallosis may occur. Metallosis is a type of metal poisoning that happens when the components rub against each other, releasing tiny fragments of chromium and cobalt, which can contaminate the body.
The Sanders Firm
The Sanders Firm offers first class legal representation to victims of all defective products, and we are prepared to go the distance in cases against Zimmer Holdings who indicated in a report to investors in November 2012 that the company expected to pay out as much as $600 million to settle claims arising from the Durom Cup. This money rightfully belongs to recipients of Zimmer hip replacements who can prove that their injuries were caused by the manufacturer’s products. Let us help you recover what you deserve.
The Sanders Firm offers more than 46 years experience pursuing legal recourse against manufacturers of defective metal devices. Call today at 1.800.324.7752 to schedule your free consultation to determine whether you are eligible to file a claim.
