DEPUY PINNACLE HIP REPLACEMENT SYSTEM

DePuy Synthes, part of the Johnson & Johnson Medical Device Companies, promotes itself as providing “one of the most comprehensive orthopedics portfolios in the world.” Its Pinnacle metal-on-metal (MoM) hip replacement system was first approved by the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) in 2000.  Like other MoM hip replacements, it turned out to be a medical disaster.  DePuy promoted the Pinnacle as lasting longer because of its more durable MoM components.  Instead of lasting longer, the failure of the Pinnacle caused many people to have revision surgeries after a short time and suffer from serious medical complications.

WITHDRAWAL FROM THE MARKET AND THOUSANDS OF LAWSUITS

Although DePuy never issued a recall of the MoM Pinnacle, it discontinued sales of the Pinnacle metal liner in 2013.  At one time, close to 10,000 lawsuits were filed and pending in a federal court multi-district litigation (MDL) in Dallas, Texas.  The DePuy Pinnacle’s metal components rub together causing particles of metal to splinter off into the surrounding tissue. When this system fails, the metal used to create the devices deteriorates and releases these toxic metal particles into the body.  The problems and injuries suffered individuals implanted with the DePuy Pinnacle were the same as for other metal-on-metal hip replacement products, including:

• Pain
• Nerve, muscle, tissue and bone damage
• Metallosis (metal poisoning)
• Pseudotumors
• Dislocations and bone fractures
• Loosening of the device

Thousands Injured With No responsibility

The Pinnacle hip implant model remained on the market, and its continued use has injured thousands. Yet, DePuy continues to take no responsibility for the damage caused by their defective Pinnacle Hip Replacement systems, even in the face of thousands of claims against them by patients and their families.

The first case against DePuy and its parent company Johnson & Johnson began in September of 2014, and litigation is still ongoing. Hundreds of thousands of patients have been forced to undergo painful and dangerous revision surgery to remove these defective medical devices. Often, the pain, suffering and medical costs associated with these surgeries can be devastating to victims and their families, which is why you need an experienced legal team by your side when pursuing damages against major manufacturers such as DePuy and J&J.