When a person’s physician or other trusted medical professional recommends the replacement of a natural body part with a manufactured version, learning about the artificial component can help the patient decide whether to undergo surgery or not.
Despite wishing for the ability to blindly trust in the safety of all medical devices, the fact remains that people should be aware of the risks involved with some artificial body parts. Hip replacement components provide one example of this.
Lawsuit results in payout for false marketing of hip replacements
A lawsuit awarded $120 million to multiple states from the manufacturer of some metal hip replacement components. The State of Texas alone was ordered to receive $8.5 million of the total settlement according to a statement from the State Attorney General’s office. Among other things, the lawsuit alleged that the manufacturer made false claims regarding the safety and lifespan of the hip components.
Metal poisoning connected to hip replacements
The United States Food and Drug Administration explains that some hip replacements utilized metal ball and metal socket components. In these scenarios, the metal ball rubbed against the metal socket as would a biological ball and socket. However, because the replaced parts were made from metal, the friction caused by the rubbing may release metal particles into a person’s system.
Some people have experienced metal poisoning after cobalt and chromium got into their bloodstreams, allegedly from metal on metal hip replacements. Multiple health complications, including some that may last a lifetime, have been connected to poisoning from metal on metal hip replacement components.
