Hip Replacement Surgery

Complications, recalls, lawsuits – when and how to hire a lawyer for your hip replacement case

Hip surgeries are routine but full of risks. The procedure takes months of recovery. Additionally, hip implants don't last forever, despite their durability. Learn about the risks if you're considering hip arthroplasty – a total hip replacement (THR) – or other procedure such as hip resurfacing. If you've already had the procedure and feel things are not going as they should, read on to learn when you might have a legal case and what you can do.

The basics of hip surgery cases

What happens in a hip replacement surgery and other hip surgeries, plus an overview of risks, implants and laws: Hip replacement surgery: types, implants and laws

 

 

Symptoms of complications after hip surgery

Are you suffering from pain after your hip replacement surgery? How to know when your symptoms might mean there's a problem: Hip replacement complications: symptoms and prevalence

 

 

Metallosis – a side effect you don't want to encounter

A dangerous but rare complication from metal-on-metal hip implants. While MoM implant devices are no longer used, metal poisoning can even happen from implants made primarily of other materials: Metallosis from hip implants

 

 

Hip implant recalls

Ask your doctor which hip implant you have and if there are any recalls. You can also check here if you know your manufacturer and model: Hip replacement recalls and symptoms. Lawsuits and recalls by hip implant manufacturer: Stryker, Wright Medical, Smith & Nephew, Zimmer Biomet, DePuy, OMNIlife.

 

 

Lawsuits and your hip replacement

Do you think you might have a legal case? Learn about defective products and medical malpractice legal requirements: Hip replacement lawsuits

 

 

 

Learn about hip replacement cases and laws in your state: Florida, Tennessee, more states

Documenting your hip replacement case

• Medication journal
• Pain diary

Hiring the right lawyer for your hip replacement case

Which type of attorney do you need?

• Defective products attorneys – when your hip implant doesn't do what it's supposed to
• Medical malpractice attorneys – when your medical caregivers are to blame
• Directory of attorneys – start here to find a lawyer

Choosing the right lawyer:

• Choosing a personal injury attorney – interview questions
• Preparing to meet with a personal injury attorney
• Negotiating lawyers fees - how do accident lawyers charge? Are there any hidden costs?
• How to talk to a lawyer

News on hip replacement complications and developments

The New York Times: Can your hip replacement kill you?

"With such shockingly lax regulations, it's no surprise that device recalls have risen over the years; in 2003, there were eight Class 1 device recalls, which the F.D.A. defines as indicating "a reasonable probability" that a device will "cause serious adverse health consequences or death." In 2016, that number rose to 117, affecting hundreds of thousands of patients."

BBC News: Rise in hip replacements for under 60s

"A spokesman for the National Joint Registry for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man said: "The increase in numbers of under-60s undergoing primary hip surgery is entirely in line with the overall increase in provision of the operation. The orthopaedic sector must continue to work to get the first time surgery as right for the patient as possible - especially where younger patients are concerned as they are most likely to need at least one revision surgery in their lifetime. It is, of course, heartening and very encouraging that hip and knee implants are lasting ten years or more, with risk of revision lower than 5%."

The Telegraph: 10-year-old children now so fat they need hip replacements, figures show

Experts are so concerned about the rise in people needing joint replacements because they are overweight, that a government-funded study has been launched to look into the issue. Professor Julian Hamilton-Shield, a consultant paediatrician Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, who deals with SCFE patients, said: "A significant number of children have moderate to severe joint problems associated with obesity."

MIT Technology Review: The Key to Repairing Your Bones May Come Out of a Printer

"Printed parts represent only a small fraction of the overall market for orthopedic implants, but for two important reasons that share could grow quickly in the coming years. First, an aging population is getting more joint replacement operations. The number of annual hip replacements in the U.S. doubled between 2000 and 2010. Second, in recent years engineers have gotten much better at using additive manufacturing technology—as 3-D printing is also called—to make titanium implants."

Express: Hip replacement warning: Gym workouts are being BLAMED for a rise in operations

"They found a significant increase in women who were experiencing injuries that were once the preserve of professional athletes and sportsmen, like Roger Federer, David Beckham and Jessica Ennis-Hill. Previous studies have found that women are more likely than men to become injured during physical activity, regardless of how fit they are. "Men and women move differently during exercise, which is one of the many reasons which may lead to more injuries in women," explained Dr Steve Iley, Medical Director at Bupa UK. "Landing rigidly or changing direction quickly with one foot instead of two can cause problems. "We have seen a rise in treatment for shoulder, hip, foot and other injuries amongst women which highlights the fact that someone can injure themselves even if they take part in a non-contact activity such as running."