What Preceded the Stryker Hip Recall?

Following the Stryker hip recall there were many patients concerned about the potentially dangerous hip implant that resides in their body. Soon after the Rejuvenate and ABGII gained FDA approval—through the controversial 510(k) program—adverse reports began coming in to the FDA. The Rejuvenate was approved in 2008 and the ABGII in 2009 and were being marketed to surgeons and consumer by 2010. There were no clinical trials done to fully assess the safety of these two implant devices prior to the Stryker hip recall. Although before the Stryker hip recall, the company claimed these new hip devices would last from 15-20 years, some patients who had the implants less than a year suffered serious health problems.

Prior to the United States Stryker hip recall in July, 2012, Health Canada implemented a Stryker hip recall in May, 2012. Stating risks of corrosion and fretting which could lead to excess metal debris being released in the body, the Stryker hip recall left many patients feeling angry and frightened.  Since the Stryker hip recall, it was found that the Stryker hip implants were constructed using metal trunnions on either end of the neck piece. Those metal trunnions allowed body fluids to become trapped beneath, leading to further corrosion. Inflammation, infection and chronic pain resulted from that corrosion in many patients, causing deterioration of tissue and bone and the necessity of a revision surgery.

The Stryker recall also mentioned metal toxicity which occurs when the metal debris enters the bloodstream, causing such issues as: gastrointestinal disorders, neurological and cardiovascular problems, renal and thyroid issues, loss of hearing and vision, disruption of DNA, pseudo-tumor development, anxiety, irritability, memory loss, depression, vertigo and reproductive disorders. Following the Stryker hip recall, Stryker has claimed that excess weight, a history of diabetes, the patient’s ph levels, incorrect implantation techniques and patient infection could all contribute to medical issues. The implication is that the Stryker hip recall was merely a precaution rather than the serious medical issue it really is.

How Stryker Corrosion Attorneys Help Victims of Recalled Hip Implants

Across the United States, scores of Stryker corrosion attorneys have been working hard to help those harmed by the recalled Stryker Rejuvenate and ABGII hip implants. The devices were recalled in July, 2012, after many adverse reports regarding the two Stryker implants came in to the FDA. The stated reason for the recall was the threat of fretting and corrosion, leading to excess metal debris and a higher-than-normal rate of failure. Stryker corrosion attorneys have spoken with many recipients of these dangerous hip implants, and have worked hard to ensure they fully understand the issues surrounding the recalled devices.

Because the ABGII and the Rejuvenate are not “true” metal-on-metal hip implants, due to the ceramic ball, it was believed they were much safer than the all-metal hip implant devices. Unfortunately, as Stryker corrosion lawyers have seen, this belief turned out to be untrue. The design of the Rejuvenate and ABGII were considered extremely innovative as they offered surgeons a wide array of different-sized components. This meant that surgeons could fit the implant more precisely to the individual patient, taking into consideration the patient’s body size and level of activity.

Some Stryker corrosion lawyers have actually seen a recalled Stryker implant which has been removed from a patient after the implant failed. The explant—in many cases—shows black corrosion which could have spread to the hip tissue as well. When metal debris shears away from the hip implant, once corrosion occurs, those cobalt and chromium ions may become lodged in the hip tissue or enter the bloodstream. After speaking to many injured patients, Stryker corrosion lawyers understand that inflammation, chronic pain, infection, bone loss or destruction and tissue degradation are all possible.

The patients who suffer metal poisoning when the ions enter the bloodstream can suffer such serious issues as loss of vision and hearing, DNA disruption, the formation of pseudo-tumors, gastrointestinal, renal, thyroid, cardiovascular and neurological disorders, reproductive disorders, memory loss, irritability, depression and anxiety. Zealous Stryker corrosion attorneys strive toward a goal of having all those harmed by a recalled Stryker hip implant compensated for their medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering.  

Could Calling a Stryker Hip Lawyer Improve Your Future?

The thousands of patients implanted with a Stryker Rejuvenate or ABGII hip implant device were dismayed when both models were recalled in July, 2012. Only a few short months prior, Stryker sent out an urgent field safety notice to hospitals and surgeons after receiving numerous complaints from implant recipients. As Stryker hip lawyers are aware, the FDA received adverse medical reports regarding these two hip implants almost from the time the devices were approved, in 2008 and 2009. Stryker advertised the new design of the Rejuvenate and ABGII as being a vast improvement over other metal-on-metal implants, as a ceramic ball was used, rather than a metal one.

The Rejuvenate and ABGII also offered surgeons a wide variety of component sizes in order to customize the fit of the implant to the patient’s size and activity level. Stryker hip lawyers immediately educated themselves regarding the design of the Stryker Rejuvenate and ABGII as well as the risks involved to patients. As detailed in the urgent field safety notice, the Rejuvenate and ABGII had a higher-than-normal rate of failure due to the propensity for corrosion and fretting. When corrosion occurred in the devices, tiny metal ions sheared away, burrowing into the surrounding hip tissue or entering the bloodstream.

Many Stryker hip implant recipients discussed with their Stryker hip lawyer the fact that they suffered chronic pain, inflammation and infection as a result of those metal ions. Even more alarming, once the inflammation reached a certain level, bone and tissue would begin to deteriorate. In the most severe cases, the tissue would die and the bone would disintegrate, leading to total failure of the hip implant. Stryker hip lawyers understand the problems associated with revision surgery, once hip failure occurs. Because of the design of the Rejuvenate and ABGII, the stem portion is implanted deeply into the femur. When surgeons must remove the stem from a bone which is already compromised, the bone can shatter, making revision surgery impossible and the necessity for a Stryker hip lawyer likely. Patients further detailed symptoms of metal poisoning to their Stryker hip lawyer which included:

·         Gastrointestinal, neurological, renal, thyroid and cardiovascular disorders

·         Hearing and vision loss

·         DNA disruption

·         The development of pseudo-tumors

·         Reproductive disorders

·         Memory loss

·         Irritability, depression and anxiety

Many of those harmed by the recalled Stryker hip implant devices have found considerable relief from being able to turn over their worries regarding their implant to an experienced, responsible Stryker hip lawyer.

A Criminal Defense Attorney in Texas Can Alter the Outcome of Your Criminal Charges

Those who have been arrested and charged with a criminal offense should be aware of several things when making the decision whether to hire a criminal defense attorney in Texas. Literally thousands of people are unfairly convicted of crimes each year in America due to the immediate disadvantage our justice system bestows. Those without a Texas criminal defense attorney by their side will face experienced, government-funded prosecutors as well as jurors who are eager to assume guilt and be on their way home. The state of Texas has the resources to have unlimited staff as well as bringing in experts to prove their case. A criminal defense attorney in Texas can help level the playing field, working for the best-case scenario, regardless of your specific crime or the circumstances surrounding the crime.

Reducing Your Anxiety With a Texas Criminal Defense Attorney

Having an experienced criminal defense attorney in Texas by your side from the very beginning can change the course of the prosecution against you, and may result in a much more favorable outcome. Once law enforcement personnel feel they have sufficient evidence against you, they may ask a judge to sign a warrant for your arrest, and you will soon find yourself in handcuffs, headed for a Harris County jail cell. This is, understandably, an incredibly frightening experience, and one that can be made less frightening by the presence of a knowledgeable Texas criminal defense attorney.

As your Texas criminal defense attorney will likely explain to you, it is never a good idea to speak to the police or the prosecution other than politely answering the most basic questions such as your name and address. From that moment on, ask for an attorney and decline to answer any other questions. As the Miranda Warning states, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law—take this to heart, and don’t think you can talk your way out of your charges.

Whether you have been charged with a less serious criminal offense—such as shoplifting, DWI, juvenile offenses or prostitution—or more serious criminal offenses such as assault, weapons charges, manslaughter, sex crimes, serious drug offenses or murder, your Texas criminal defense attorney can help you understand the progression of your charges. Once you have a criminal defense attorney in Texas by your side, your Houston criminal charges may not feel quite as alarming, so choosing an attorney quickly—and wisely can be beneficial to your future.

When Symptoms of Stryker Cobalt Toxicity Lead to Serious Health Issues in Patients

The Stryker Rejuvenate and ABGII were recalled in July, 2012, after a significant number of patients reported symptoms of Stryker cobalt toxicity and metallosis. The company stated a higher-than-normal risk of fretting and corrosion, leading to the excess generation of metal debris into the body. The symptoms of Stryker cobalt toxicity can cause a high failure rate of the recalled hip implants as well. Although Stryker has declined to comment on the actual failure rate of the ABGII and the Rejuvenate, some reports place that number as high as 40%.

When the patient undergoes physical activity, the titanium stem and the cobalt and chromium neck piece create friction, causing tiny metal shards to shear away. When these metal ions enter the bloodstream, symptoms of Stryker cobalt toxicity can occur. Even though Stryker used a ceramic ball in their Rejuvenate and ABGII designs, the neck juncture and the small metal trundles located on either end of the neck piece can suffer corrosion. Aside from symptoms of Stryker cobalt toxicity, metallosis symptoms can occur, including: severe inflammation of the hip, possible infection, chronic hip pain, bone loss and tissue deterioration. Symptoms of Stryker cobalt toxicity can include:

·         Cardiovascular events such as cardiomyopathy

·         Loss of hearing or vision

·         Vertigo

·         Memory loss

·         Depression, anxiety, irritability

·         Renal failure

·         Tremors, seizures and other neurological issues

·         The development of pseudo-tumors

Because there is a much smaller metal surface area on the Stryker Rejuvenate and ABGII as compared to other metal-on-metal hip implants, blood tests to measure the levels of cobalt in the body may not show the extremely high levels seen in patients with all-metal implants. Nonetheless, symptoms of Stryker cobalt toxicity are just as real and just as serious, even with the potentially smaller numbers.

Many physicians consider any amount of cobalt over two parts per billion to be a health risk, although most scientists maintain that any level up to five parts per billion is relatively safe. A patient with cobalt levels at three and symptoms of Stryker cobalt toxicity could have a Stryker hip implant which has experienced severe wear. Speaking to an experienced Stryker attorney can allow victims of the recalled hip implants to understand their options regarding the recalled hip implant devices.