More than half a dozen law suits have been filed over the recall of the Stryker Rejuvenate Modular hip implant system by patients who experienced pain and discomfort, allegedly due to metal poisoning which resulted from corrosion of the devices’ metal components. According to the law suits all of the patients underwent corrective revision surgery in as little as eight months after receiving the implants.
The Rejuvenate hip replacement system consists of a chromium-cobalt stem, a titanium neck and non-metallic ball. Stryker Orthopaedics recalled its Rejuvenate and ABG II modular hip stems and ceased production of them on the 6th of July 2012 after continued post-market surveillance indicated the devices may be prone to fretting and/or corrosion at modular-neck junction. According to Stryker, fretting or corrosion at the modular-neck junction can lead to pain, swelling and adverse reactions in surrounding tissue.
Neither of the devices is considered a “metal-on-metal” hip implant replacement system, in which the ball and cup are both made of cobalt and chromium. However, Stryker released a report in May that found metal, tow part modular-neck systems like the Rejuvenate and ABG II may cause many of the same problems seen with metal-on-metal hip implants, including premature failure due to aseptic loosening and pseudo- tumour formation.
The Stryker report advised that patients fitted with modular-neck hip implants systems who experienced unexplained, persistent pain undergo medical examination that should include serum metal ion levels, metal hypersensitivity testing and radiographic analysis including pain radiographs.
Liam Moloney, Solicitor, of Moloney & Company Solicitors, Naas, Co. Kildare whose firm is representing victims of the DePuy hip implant devices said today “the Irish Medicines Board should immediately notify any patients who have received these Stryker implants of this recall and should make sure that all patients who are experiencing pain and discomfort should be recalled for immediate review”.
