Hospitals in the UK and Ireland are being alerted to ways of reducing risk for patients undergoing hip replacement surgery after sustaining  fractured hip joints. 60,000 total hip replacements and 60,000 repairs of hip fractures are carried out each year in the United Kingdom. A much smaller number are carried out in Ireland. The death […]

A medical device alert has been issued by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in the UK for sutures manufactured by ETHICON. The problem with the affected lot numbers is that they may not have a complete seal and so the contents may not be sterile. There is a risk of infection if non-sterile […]

Alcohol skin preparation pads, swabs and swab sticks manufactured by the Triad Group since 2007 have been found to contain bacterial contamination which may lead to skin infection. This medical device alert has been issued by the MHRA in the United Kingdom and updates of previous medical device alert issued on the 11th February 2011. […]

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in the UK has issued a medical device alert in relation to all types, makes and models of breast implants. There is uncertain evidence that women with breast implants may have a very small but increased risk of Anaplastic Large Cell lymphoma (ALCL) of the breast. Directors of […]

DePuy, a division of Johnson & Johnson have issued a field safety corrective notice for its Acetabular Cup Trimming aid, This is an orthopaedic instrument intended to be used as a guide to trim the flange of the Acetabular Hip Implant prior to insertion. Investigations have identified that the incorrect orientation trimming aid is located […]

Sibutramine was a prescription only medicine. Its marketing authorisation was withdrawn for safety reasons in January 2010 following a warning from the European Medicines Agency that it increased the risks of heart attacks and strokes. Several patients have reported suffering a range of side effects including palpitations, severe gastritis and abdominal pain as well as […]

It has been confirmed that DePuy International Limited supplied 2,021 of these components in England and Scotland between March 1990 and August 1999. Surgeons have asked those who have had replacement operations with the Hylamer Polyethylene component to seek immediate medical assistance from their doctors in order to detect any signs of premature wearing. The […]

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in the United Kingdom has recalled alcohol skin preparation pads, swabs and swab sticks manufactured by H&W. All pads manufactured since 2007 up to and including April 2010 have been recalled. These pads have been found to contain potential bacterial contamination which may lead to skin infection.   […]

It is not sufficient to establish that a warning should have been given but was not given to entitle a patient to recover damages. The patient must prove that had they been given a proper warning they would have opted to forgo the procedure. The Supreme Court in the case of Walsh –v- Family Planning […]

Official figures in the United Kingdom have shown that exposure to asbestos in classrooms in England the life of a teacher a month from cancer. New statistics show that 64 school teachers suffered from the asbestos related cancer mesothelioma in the past 5 years. In all at least 272 teachers have suffered from the horrific […]