Hip Replacement Surgery

In the hip you were born with, the thigh bone, or femur and head, connects to the pelvis at the joint. The femoral head slides into the acetabulum (like a ball and socket). Within the acetabulum, the head rotates and moves, but sometimes that movement can be painful if you’ve withstood an injury, or some other condition that has caused a loss of mobility. Often, the only real treatment would be a total hip replacement (where both the ball and socket are completely replaced) or a hip resurfacing system (a partial replacement). Metal-on-metal hips were thought to provide the greatest range of motion, a very attractive quality to those in the market for a new hip.

With a total hip replacement, something called an acetabular cup is placed inside the acetabulum, and the femoral head is replaced with a metal ball, which is connected to a stem that is placed inside the femur. With the hip resurfacing system, the acetabular cup is placed inside the acetabulum, but instead of the entire head being replaced, a simple cap is placed over it.

What brought you here

A manufacturing defect and three subsequent voluntary recalls of the Biomet Hip Replacement.

The recall

• Recall 1
• Recall 2
• Recall 3

In 2002, the femoral head used in the Biomet hip replacement was voluntarily recalled.

In 2008, the tidal bearing used in the Biomet hip replacement was voluntarily recalled.

In 2008, the acetabular cup in the Biomet hip replacement was voluntarily recalled.

Who brought you here

Biomet Orthopedics, the medical device manufacturer that makes the Biomet Hip Replacement, and St. Gobain Desmarquest, the component manufacturer that makes the femoral head for the Biomet Hip Replacement.

Symptoms you may have

Groin pain, grinding sensation in the hip region, audible popping sound. However, the fact that you are not experiencing any of these symptoms, unfortunately, does not mean you have nothing to worry about. Thus, it may be in your best interest to seek help now, even if you are asymptomatic, or symptom-free.

In the news

• New Report Highlights Metal Hip Implant Problems
• Hip Implant Complaints Surge, Even as the Dangers Are Studied

 

What this means for you

Protect yourself.

1. Order your medical records to confirm that your hip was replaced with the Biomet Hip.

2. See your doctor. Discuss your medical history. Explain your symptoms if you have any. Order the medical records of that doctor’s visit. An X-ray may tell your doctor the positioning of your hip, damage to the bone, and the hip’s attachment to the bone. All patients, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic, should consider a blood test to test the metal ion levels. If the levels are above 7 ppb, you are likely experiencing failure of the Biomet hip and may need more extensive treatment.

3. Sign up to file a claim against Biomet, Inc., with Clark, Burnett, Love & Lee. Everything you’ve suffered in this process, or may still—the pain, the trauma of an additional surgery, the risk or adverse effects of going through a hip replacement a second time—wasn’t your fault, and can’t be satisfied with a simple replacement hip. Although Biomet publicly agrees to compensate patients for any medical treatment in regards to its faulty product, the company is paying the bare minimum and hasn’t offered to pay for the intangible effects this defect has caused people like you. We, as a law firm well versed in pharmaceutical and medical device litigation, can help. Signing up comes at no cost to you. Any attorneys’ fees will come out of any settlement we are able to negotiate. You have nothing to lose. Contact us for more information.