DePuy Orthopedics, Inc. has been under fire in recent years by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, doctors and patients over its hip replacement devices. In 2010, DePuy issued a warning to physicians to stop using its ASR metal-on-metal hip implants, and then recalled one of its hip implant products. Prior to the recall, 93,000 patients received the implants.
Now as the DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. Hip Implant Liability Litigation lawsuit moves forward, Mike Krzyzewski has stepped forward to praise the hip replacement company for saving his career. “Coach K” has been the head coach of the Duke University men’s basketball team for 40 years and has compiled an impressive record, with over 900 career victories. Krzyzewski has had both hips replaced with DePuy devices.
In a videotaped interview released last week by the News Sentinel, Krzyzewski says, “I have not had one second of problems” with the DePuy devices. He further says that he would not have taken his teams to the finals without the new hips. The coach had his hips replaced in 1999 and 2002, prior to July 2003, when the ASR products were first used.
The patients that have had to undergo revision surgery to replace DePuy ASR hip devices, and the many others suffering from pain related to their replacement hips, may not be convinced of the safety or effectiveness of the product simply by hearing about one successful case by a celebrity. The failure rate for metal-on-metal hip implants is three times greater than that for other artificial hips, according to the New York Times.
Some hip replacement patients have experienced pain, swelling around the hips, difficulty walking and a sensation that their hip was dislocated. Many of these patients will need a revision surgery, which involves removing the initial artificial hip and replacing it with another.
Our medical device attorneys urge all ASR patients that are experiencing problems to have their replacement hip evaluated by their doctor to determine if any corrective action is required.
Contact a Florida Defective Medical Products Lawyer
If you suspect that you or a loved one has been harmed by a medical device, including a metal-on-metal joint replacement, turn to a South Florida medical products attorney with more than 36 years of experience evaluating cases of medical malpractice and defective medical devices.
The law firm of Philip DeBerard, Injury Attorney, protects the rights of medical malpractice victims by getting the insurance companies to pay what is fair. We represent victims of defective medical devices and medical malpractice in Stuart, Jupiter, Port St. Lucie, Okeechobee, Fort Pierce, Palm Beach and Vero Beach.
Call 1-800-299-8878 to speak with a knowledgeable Florida medical device attorney or fill out our online contact form.
