In the continuing California Trial over the DePuy ASR metal-on-metal hip implant device, evidence keeps pointing to issues with the controversial devices design. The Trial which involves a case taken by a former Prison Officer Loren Kransky is the first of some ten thousand similar cases.
Kransky’s Lawyers recently called a University Professor Mr Dennis Bobyn, a Biomedical Engineering as an Expert Witness. Bobyn told jurors that the ASR device was constructed with a number of design defects that led to implant failure at much greater rate than other devices and because it has the geometric that it does, it is susceptible to changing shape as it is forced into a patients pelvis.
Bobyn said that it was his opinion that the ASR hip implant had multiple design defects that alone or together caused it to fail at a much greater rate than other hip implants. He also testified that the ASR was inferior to other hip devices, pointing out failure rates seen in other devices such as a failure rate of 3.8% after 32 years in one device and a 2% failure rate in another device after 5 years. Kranksy’s Lawyers noted that an Australian National joint Registry found that ASR’s failure rate exceeded 40% in the last year alone.
Kransky’s lawsuit also alleges that the DePuy ASR generates a toxic amount of chromium and cobalt ions into his body. This metal build up allegedly led to complications that included blackened tissue and the need for his to undergo early revision surgery.
The Trial continues in the US and the verdict is not expected for at least another few weeks.
Over 3500 patients in Ireland have received the ASR device and hundreds of personal injury claims have now been lodged by ASR recipients in the High Court. Speaking about the claims that the ASR device had multiple design failures Liam Moloney, Personal Injury Solicitor in Naas, whose firm are representing a number of affected Irish Patients said today “I am keeping a close eye on the evidence that is being given in the first Trial to come to Hearing in the US relating to the defects in the ASR hip device. While an admission of liability has not yet been made by DePuy Orthopaedics in relation to the many hundreds of litigation claims that have been lodged against them here the outcome of the American proceedings will have a significant impact on how the Company deal with the Irish claims. I would urge any patients that have received metal-on-metal hip implants to immediately undergo MRI testing and blood tests to rule out any significant injury which could be associated with these products’’.
