Medical Complications Associated with Hip Implants

As previously stated, all hip implants pose a risk of certain conditions. However, metal-on-metal devices can cause additional complications as a result of metal particles being released into the bloodstream and traveling through the body's organs. Below are some of the common complications associated with hip implant devices.

Metallosis From Metal-on-Metal Devices

Metallosis is described as blood poisoning as a result of a buildup of toxic metals in the body as a result of a metal-on-metal joint replacement device such as a hip implant. These devices are generally made with a blend of metals such as chromium, cobalt, nickel, titanium, and molybdenum. The particles of metal are shed into the tissues surrounding the implant when the metal pieces rub against one another. These metal ions then build up in bone, muscle, and other surrounding tissues. As the particles enter the bloodstream, they cause further damage to the heart, kidney, and other organs.

Local signs of metallosis include:

Pain in the groin or hip area.
Numbness.
Swelling.
Difficulty walking.

The treatment for metallosis almost always involves surgery to remove and replace the implant.

Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood. If left untreated, cardiomyopathy can cause heart failure. Cardiomyopathy can be caused by metallosis after exposure to cobalt.

Symptoms of the condition include:

Breathlessness both in exertion and at rest.
Swelling of the legs, ankles, and feet.
Fluid buildup resulting in swelling of the abdomen.
Fatigue.
Coughing while lying down.
Rapid, pounding, or fluttering heartbeats.
Pressure or discomfort in the chest.
Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting.

In addition to heart failure, other complications that can result from cardiomyopathy caused by metallosis are:

Blood clots due to the heart's inability to pump blood effectively.
Valve problems, such as valves that do not close properly as a result of heart enlargement, causing the blood to flow backward.
Cardiac arrest or sudden death caused by reductions in the ability of the heart to pump blood effectively.

Nerve Problems

Metallosis is also associated with a nerve condition called polyneuropathy. Polyneuropathy affects the peripheral nerves, which run throughout the body, preventing these nerves from sending messages to the brain.

Some of the symptoms of polyneuropathy are:

Random, odd sensations in the body known as paresthesia.
Sudden, sharp sensations.
Burning or tingling, especially in the feet and hands.
A sensation on the skin that causes it to be extremely sensitive to touch.
Numbness.
Weakness in the arms or legs.
Inability to walk straight, often leading to stumbling or falling.
Difficulty swallowing.

Patients who are suffering polyneuropathy after undergoing a hip replacement are urged to seek medical help as soon as possible to lessen the severity and the duration of nerve damage.

Thyroid Problems

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the lower front portion of the neck. The thyroid makes a hormone that assists the body in using energy, regulating body temperature, and keeping the heart, brain, and other organs working as they should. Metallosis can damage the thyroid, leading to hyperthyroidism. This condition stops the body from producing enough thyroid hormones to keep the body's systems running effectively.

Some of the symptoms of hyperthyroidism include:

The inability to feel warm.
Fatigue.
Dry skin.
Memory loss.
Depression.
Constipation.

There is no cure for hypothyroidism. It can, however, be treated and controlled through medication that replaces the amount of hormone that the thyroid can no longer make on its own.

Neurological Changes, Including Changes to Hearing or Vision

Metallosis due to high chromium and cobalt levels in the blood can also lead to neurological changes, including:

Structural changes to the visual neurological pathways, including optic nerve atrophy.
Hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
Convulsions.
Vertigo.
Headaches.
Tremors.
Short-term memory deficit.
Disorientation in place.
Difficulties with concentration and word finding.
Depression.
Early onset dementia.

Problems with Kidney Function

Metal ions found in metallosis cases can also cause impairment to functional kidneys. When the ions arrive at the kidneys, an oxidative reaction occurs, stopping the kidneys from purifying the blood and removing toxins as they normally do. This can cause renal failure.

The symptoms of renal failure include:

Swelling of the hands, feet, and face.
Internal bleeding.
Confusion.
Seizures.
Coma.
Abnormal blood and urine tests.
High blood pressure.
Weight loss for no reason.
Nausea and vomiting.
Metallic taste in your mouth.
Shortness of breath.
Pain in the chest.
Numbness and tingling.
Easy bruising.
Itching.
Muscle twitches and cramps.
Bones that are weak and fracture easily.
Yellow-brown skin color.
Trouble sleeping.

Kidney failure is most discovered by testing the creatinine levels in the body. A normal kidney will remove this muscle-produced molecule and deposit it in the urine. However, if the kidney is not functioning properly, there are higher creatinine levels found in the blood. Treatment options for kidney failure include dialysis, where the blood is pumped through a machine that cleans it and then returns it to the body, and a kidney transplant.

How Do You Know if Your Complications Qualify You for a Lawsuit?

Hip replacement surgery has many known complications and consequences that your doctor should have made you aware of before the procedure. To prove that your complications were the result of a defective implant device or medical malpractice, you must show that the complications occurred as a result of a product defect, such as the shedding of metal particles due to wear, or a medical error that caused you to receive substandard care.

An experienced hip replacement lawyer can look at the details of your case to determine if these factors are true and can help you understand your legal options based on the unique details of your case. Consultations are free, and you are under no obligation to hire the attorney or to take legal action in your case. Talk to the dedicated attorneys at Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA about your hip replacement complications by contacting us.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hip Replacement Lawsuits

If you have suffered a complication as the result of a defective hip implant or a medical error, you likely have a lot of questions about the process of obtaining compensation to help with the financial and emotional impacts of your injury.

Here are the answers to some of the questions most frequently asked by hip replacement clients.

What is the best hip replacement material to use to avoid complications?

The answer to that question depends on your own medical history and expectations for what the replacement will allow you to do.

When choosing a type of implant, ask:

Which implant your doctor has the most experience working with. Familiarity with the product can help reduce some of the common complications resulting from improper positioning of the device, premature loosening, and dislocation.
How to avoid particulate matter shedding from the device during normal use. Metal-on-metal implants are not currently being offered in the U.S. due to an increased risk of metallosis caused by metal particles from the device entering the bloodstream and causing damage to organs and body functions. Metal-on-polyethylene devices also have a high risk of particle spread, including both metal and plastic particles. Metal-on-ceramic devices also contain a risk of metal particles, though ceramic is a highly effective material not known to cause particulate matter to slough off the device and damage nearby tissues or bodily organs.

How long do I have to file a lawsuit in my hip replacement case?

Product liability and medical malpractice cases are both within the vast umbrella of personal injury law. The time limit you have to file a legal claim in a personal injury case depends on the statute of limitations for such claims in your state. For example, in Florida, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim is four years from the date in which the injury occurred—which would be the date of surgery—or four years from the date on which you noticed or were diagnosed with the failed hip implant. Your attorney can advise you if there are complicating factors in your case that could extend this statute of limitations.

Who is liable for my hip replacement complications?

Hip replacement surgery is commonly associated with complications for which there is no liability. It is just a risk of the surgery that has the potential to occur regardless of the quality of care you received or the device that was used. However, many complications are caused by negligence either on the part of the manufacturer of the hip implant device, for creating a defective device or failing to properly warn physicians and consumers of the risks, or by doctors and other healthcare providers who fail to provide a standard level of care during the pre-operative, operative, and postoperative phases of your treatment.

Why are hip replacement complications more prevalent in women?

Studies have indicated that women have a 29 percent higher risk of complications resulting from hip replacement than men do.

Some of the reasons for this include:

Women have a longer life expectancy than men, meaning that the hip replacement will likely be present for a longer time.
Women's bones tend to be smaller, and the implanted device is required to be smaller or thinner as well, giving rise to a higher chance of the device or the bone that the device attaches to fracturing. For example, the femoral head in a woman's hip is 20 percent smaller than that of a man.
Women are far more likely to develop inflammatory arthritis and other conditions resulting from the hip replacement than men are.
The way that men and women move after surgery and the level of pain that they can tolerate with that movement is very different. Women can often withstand a higher level of pain with movement and to move in ways that affect the device more deeply.

What are the signs of metallosis and how do I know if I have it?

Metallosis is a dangerous condition that results from tiny particles of metal that slough off of metal devices during normal wear and cause damage to surrounding organs. These metal particles can also enter the bloodstream and cause damage to other bodily organs. Local symptoms of metallosis include pain in the groin, hip, or thigh; numbness; weakness of the affected joint; and difficulty walking. More severe symptoms also include anxiety, headaches, heart irregularities, shortness of breath, and vertigo.

If the metal particles enter the bloodstream and impact other organs, symptoms include:

Cardiomyopathy, in which the heart can't pump blood effectively. This condition can ultimately lead to heart failure.
Depression and other mental health problems.
Visual impairment caused by the metal's effect on the optic nerve, which can lead to blindness.
Cognitive impairment.
Nerve issues, including inflammatory neuropathy.
Thyroid problems, including hypothyroidism, in which the body cannot produce the hormones necessary for functions that include energy, temperature control, and the ability of the body to process nutrients.
Auditory issues, including tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and complete loss of hearing.
Skin rashes.
Premature loosening of the implant as a result of bone loss resulting from metal exposure.

Metallosis is often diagnosed through diagnostic imaging tests of the soft tissues surrounding the implant as well as metal ion testing that is used to detect various metals in the bloodstream, including cobalt, chromium, molybdenum, and titanium, which are all metals that are included in the metal-on-metal hip implants.

What damages can I recover in a hip replacement lawsuit?

Some of the damages that are commonly claimed in this type of lawsuit include:

Medical expenses resulting from revision surgery or other treatment provided to alleviate the condition caused by the device.
Loss of income because you physically can't work due to hip replacement complications.
Loss of future earning capacity if the complications from your hip replacement surgery result in a permanent disability that renders you unable to work.
Physical pain and suffering as a result of the complications caused by the hip implant.
Emotional distress resulting from hip replacement failure.
Loss of consortium, which is damage claimed on behalf of the injured person's spouse due to loss of physical intimacy and companionship that is commonly suffered after hip replacement complications.
The cost of hiring someone to perform personal and household services that the injured person can no longer do themselves as a result of the complications.

Will metal-on-metal hip replacements be available again in the U.S.?

In May 2016, the FDA announced a final order that would require any proposed metal-on-metal hip replacement devices to obtain premarket approval for use in the U.S. Before that time, the FDA had recalled many of these metal-on-metal total hip replacement devices, and the order effectively took many others off of the market until premarket approval.

Premarket approval consists of several tests that must be performed, proving both the safety and effectiveness of the device as well as the complications that can be experienced through the implantation of the device.

To date, no manufacturer has undergone the premarket approval process to make the device available in the U.S. However, the FDA has expressed that it is open to allowing these devices if they pass through the approval process.

There have been a lot of settlements in hip replacement lawsuits. Is it still possible to file a claim?

Yes. While settlements in multidistrict litigation cases involved hip replacements, many ongoing multidistrict suits are still accepting cases and patients continue to file cases in districts across the nation.

How do I tell if my hip replacement is failing?

The most common symptoms of hip replacement failure include pain in the hip, thigh, or groin area, as well as a loss in the range of motion provided in the affected hip.

However, other signs of failure can include:

Swelling in the hip area or lumps in the hip.
A squeaking noise from the device when you walk.
Warmth around the joint.
Signs of infection, including fever and fatigue.
The presence of metal ions in the bloodstream.

What hip replacements have the FDA recalled?

Generally, companies facing recall choose to pull their products off the shelves voluntarily instead of forcing the FDA to afford the expense of the recall.

Several major hip implant recalls have taken place in the U.S., including:

DuPuy's ASR Acetabular & Resurfacing System.
Stryker's Rejuvenate and AGB II Hip implant.
Smith & Nephew's R3 Acetabular, Modular SMF, and Modular Redapt Femoral Hip Systems.
Wright's Conserve Plus and Profemur Z Hip Stem.
Zimmer's Durom Acetabular Component.

What causes a company to recall its hip implant devices?

There are many reasons that a company can choose to recall hip implant devices.

Some of the reasons commonly cited in hip implant recalls include:

Labeling issues: The company failed to provide the proper instructions or warnings to physicians and consumers on the package label, leaving them open to liability if the product is used improperly or provides unexpected consequences.
Product defects: The company discovered through consumer complaints that the product failed to work properly and safely, even when all directions for its implantation and use were followed.
Design flaws: Complications from the implanted device were discovered to be a result of how the product was designed.
Packaging issues: The packaging used to ship and store the product was defective, leading to issues with the implant itself.

How do I know the brand of my hip implant? Why is this information important?

Your doctor will know the brand of implant you received. He or she should have given you this information before the procedure took place. However, if that did not happen, you can obtain the information by calling the doctor or obtaining your medical records.

Do I need an attorney to file a hip replacement lawsuit?

Yes, you absolutely need an attorney to recover damages through a personal injury lawsuit. It is important to find an attorney who has experience with this type of case, as well as with multi-district litigation, which occurs when many cases with similar claims are temporarily combined for the pre-trial phases to relieve the burden placed on federal courts.

Your attorney can assist you in your ability to recover damages with:

A thorough examination of your case to identify all liable parties and sources of insurance that can be used to compensate you.
Guidance as to your legal options, based on the unique fact of your case.
Filing of your case in the proper jurisdiction within the time limit provided to make such claims.
The collection and organization that will help you prove your claim. Because hip replacement surgery carries its own risks that aren't always the result of negligence, your attorney will assist you in producing the type of information you need to show that your complications were the result of a defective device or a medical error.
A network of experts including medical professionals who can offer testimony and information supporting your claim.
Skilled and aggressive negotiation with the at-fault party's insurance providers in an attempt to obtain a fair settlement on your behalf.
Information regarding the potential benefits and risks involved in accepting an offered settlement.
In lieu of a fair settlement, litigation, including the preparation and delivery of opening and closing remarks, the presentation of evidence, and the examination of witnesses.
Assistance with collecting your award or settlement.
Further representation of your case if the at-fault party appeals the judgment rendered by the court.

Contact us today for a free case evaluation with Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA's hip replacement attorneys.

What to Do if You Have Suffered a Hip Replacement Complication

If you have been diagnosed with a complication from your hip replacement or you think your hip replacement is failing, there are some important steps you need to take to ensure that the complications don't worsen and that you retain your right to claim compensation from those liable for your complication.

Read on for more information about what to do if you have suffered a hip replacement complication.

Let Your Doctor Know

After your hip replacement surgery, you will be required to have several post-operative followups. These followup appointments are generally scheduled four to six weeks after surgery, three to six months post-surgery, at your year anniversary of the surgery, and annually after that. Images of your hip replacement will be taken via X-ray, usually the week after surgery, and again at your annual checkups.

Be sure to let your doctor know immediately if you have any concerns about your recovery or the functionality of your device. Write down any symptoms of a device failure that you experience as well as what you did when the symptom occurred and take that information with you to your appointment.

When you report potential complications to your doctor, he or she will likely have you undergo some tests to determine the complications you have. These tests can include diagnostic scans. Depending on what type of hip replacement device you received, your doctor may also request blood work to determine if there are metal ions in your bloodstream as well as to check for other potential damage to your body's organs and systems.

If your hip implant has loosened, you have suffered a dislocation, or you have acquired an infection, one of the options your doctor may talk to you about is revision surgery. Hip revision surgery is a procedure that is used to repair a damaged hip implant or to remove the implant and place a new one. The main benefit of hip revision surgery for most patients is to relieve the pain of a loosened, poorly placed, or malfunctioning artificial hip. However, the surgery is also sometimes used to preserve as much bone and tissue as possible after an infection has occurred or to relieve symptoms related to metallosis from the materials in the implant.

Keep in mind that hip revision surgeries pose all of the same risks of surgical complications as the initial implant surgery did, such as an adverse outcome from the anesthesia, as well as the potential for post-surgical blood clots and infection. For some individuals, these complications are even more likely than they were the first time around. Be sure to discuss your concerns about the surgery with your doctor and to make sure you fully understand the revision procedure.

Learn as Much as You Can About Your Condition

If you have been diagnosed with metallosis or another condition associated with your hip implant, it helps to learn as much as you can about your condition. Your doctor is an important source of information, but often patients fail to ask questions that will provide them with the information they need to make informed decisions.

Write down the questions you have about your condition on a piece of paper that you can take to your appointment with you, but also to have a trusted friend or family member attend your appointment and write the answers to those questions for you as the doctor answers them.

Some questions you should ask your doctor include:

Why did this condition occur?
What treatment do you recommend to cure this condition?
Are there alternative treatments that I should also consider?
What happens if I don't receive treatment for this condition?
If I have hip revision surgery, will it completely cure the condition?

If you are encouraged to have hip revision surgery, there are some additional questions which should be asked, including:

What complications may occur as a result of this surgery?
How many days will I be hospitalized following the surgery?
How long does it usually take for someone to recover from hip revision surgery?
How soon can I walk unassisted after surgery?
How soon can I drive a car or return to work?
Will I need physical therapy?
If you're replacing the implant, what is the brand name of the new implant and what is the implant made out of?
How long should my joint replacement last, and is there anything I can do to prevent further complications?

While your doctor is a valuable source of information, there are other resources that you can turn to as well. There are many websites offering information on complications of hip replacement surgery. However, use caution when researching your condition online to only seek information from reputable sources.

Do not be afraid to seek a second opinion either. Complications from hip replacement surgery can be debilitating or even life-threatening. It is important that you feel comfortable and confident in the diagnosis and the proposed treatment options that you have been given.

Gather Evidence

Not all complications arising from hip replacement surgery are the result of negligence. Any surgery can cause dangerous complications. However, if you believe that your complications were the result of a defective implant or a medical error, you should obtain as much evidence as you can. Any information the doctor provided to you about the implant you received should be saved, along with information provided to you about your diagnosis.

When you hire an attorney to represent your case, you will authorize him or her to have access to the medical records that pertain to your surgery, treatment, and complications. This information can be used to help prove the injury you suffered and whether it was related to negligence.

Some of the documentation your attorney will want to review includes:

The orthopedic surgeon's office chart pertaining to your case.
Operation reports for both your initial hip replacement surgery as well the revision procedure, if you had one.
The device record from your initial surgery, which shows the product name and lot numbers for all components included in the device.

Other evidence you will need to produce to prove the expenses and impacts related to your injury include:

Bills for medical expenses and medically-related purchases, including items meant to assist with mobility, such as canes, crutches, and wheelchairs.
Proof of your lost wages, as demonstrated through timesheets or a letter from your employer stating the amount of work you have missed and whether your complication will prevent you from performing the tasks required for your position.
Additional expenses you faced as a result of your complication, including hiring someone to provide personal care or household services that you were too injured to perform yourself.
Any documentation you have regarding the impacts that the complication has had on your daily life.

Speak With an Attorney About Your Options

When you seek an attorney, you will want to find one who deals in personal injury, product liability cases, and specifically cases involving hip implant failures. The reason you should find an attorney with experience in this type of case is because—while all personal injury cases are complex—the procedures involved in multi-district litigation are particularly complex.

The primary reasons for an individual to file a lawsuit after a hip replacement include:

Device loosening.
Metallosis and related health conditions.
Your implant failed earlier than anticipated.
Your device was marketed as safe but you still suffered complications.
You required additional surgeries that could have been avoided if there had not been a medical error or a product defect.
Your doctor failed to warn you of the risks involved with the procedure.
Your health care provider failed to provide adequate care during pre-op, operative, and post-op phases of your treatment.
The doctor did not warn you of the risk of the complication you faced because there were no warnings provided by the manufacturer of the device that your particular complication might occur.

If the device is liable for your injury, your attorney will advise you as to whether you can join multi-district litigation. Multi-district litigation is a court procedure intended to relieve the burden on the court system of litigating many cases with similar claims by temporarily joining all of the cases for the pre-trial phases in one district.

Three issues can result in a defective product lawsuit, including:

Failure to warn: In this type of product liability case, the device was designed properly but was not accompanied by the correct warnings or directions.
Design defects: This type of product liability involves products that fail to work safely or efficiently, even when all accompanying warnings and directions are heeded.
Manufacturing defect: In this product liability scenario, the product was designed properly but was not manufactured according to the design, resulting in the device failing.

If, after discussing your case with an attorney, there is the feeling that your doctor or other health care provider caused your complication through the delivery of substandard care, your legal options could involve the filing of a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Some of the signs that could give rise to a medical malpractice claim include:

You did not need the surgery that was performed.
You were not provided with ample after-care or were discharged from the hospital without adequate supervision or after-care instructions.
The condition that led to your decision to authorize the hip implant procedure was the result of a misdiagnosis.
A crucial lab result was misread or disregarded.
Your doctor failed to diagnose the complications you incurred as a result of the hip replacement, leading to further damage.
You were given the wrong medication after your procedure or the wrong dosage.
Surgery was performed on the wrong site. For example, you were scheduled for a hip replacement on the left side, and the surgery was performed on the right side instead.

For a successful outcome to either a product liability claim against the device manufacturer or your orthopedic surgeon or other health care provider for medical malpractice, you must show negligence.

Lawyers show negligence by proving:

The at-fault party owed you a duty of care. In product liability cases, the duty of care owed to you by the manufacturer is to design a product that is safe and effective when used according to labeled instructions. The duty of care that is owed by at-fault parties in medical malpractice cases is to provide a standard of care that is the same as any reasonably prudent doctor or health care provider would have provided in similar circumstances.
There was a breach in the duty of care. The breach refers to the actions that the at-fault party took that were contrary to the duty of care that was owed.
This breach resulted in the complications you experienced after your hip replacement surgery and subsequent expenses for additional medical treatment, lost wages, and other complication-related issues, as well as impacts on your life.

Why You Can Rely on Our Hip Replacement Lawsuit Firm

Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA have experience with product liability cases, including multi-district litigation, as well as medical malpractice cases. Our experienced attorneys are ready to help you understand the legal options that are available to you to recover damages related to your hip replacement complications. We are proud to join a network of attorneys across the nation who are working to help those who have suffered life-altering injuries as a result of hip implant surgery.

Our case evaluations are free, and because we work on a contingent fee basis, you do not need to pay for our services until there is a successful outcome in your case. You can afford the legal help you need, regardless of your current financial situation.

Contact Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA today for a free case evaluation at 833-552-7274 or by filling out our online form.

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Clearwater, FL 33756
727-451-6900

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