Tag: defective medical device attorneys

FDA Issues Recall on The Exactech Connexion GXL Hip Implant

Posted on by YostLaw

On June 28, 2021, the FDA issued a recall of the Exactech Connexion GXL Hip Implant liners. This came following reports of high rates of failure around the 3-6 year mark- significantly sooner than the 15 to 20 years they had been marketed to last for. Although the liners are made of polyethylene, this model has seen rapid deterioration of the liner, exposing the metal and causing the metal components from the implant to rub together. This has resulted in many complications for patients with this implant.

Symptoms related to the Exactech Connexion GXL Hip Implant include:

  • Difficulty walking
  • Loosening of the implant
  • Joint Stiffness
  • Swelling and inflammation
  • Possible bone degeneration: osteolysis
  • Extreme Pain

If you have experienced any of these symptoms because of the Exactech Connexion GXL implant, speak with your doctor to discuss your treatment options. The doctor will likely recommend an X-Ray to check the alignment of the implant and to see if the hip has been fractured, dislocated, or is beginning to deteriorate. Usually, the only way to relieve the symptoms and correct the issue with the faulty device is for the patient undergo a hip revision surgery.

Nobody should be forced to undergo the financial and physical burden of a second surgery after being harmed by a defective product. That’s why The Yost Legal Group is investigating claims for those who have been harmed by the Exactech Connexion GXL hip implant. If you or a loved one has an Exactech Connexion GXL hip implant, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Call The Yost Legal Group at  1-800-YOST-LAW (1-800-967-8529) or email us at info@yostlaw.com today for a free consultation. There is no fee or expense unless you recover.

Smith & Nephew Hip Litigation Approaches Settlement Agreement

Posted on by YostLaw

After years of litigation, it appears that Smith & Nephew are getting close to reaching a settlement agreement for the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) and R3 Acetabular hip implant cases. The Birmingham Hip Resurfacing system was recalled in September of 2015 due to complaints of pain, metallosis, fractures, dislocation, and premature system failure among patients. The R3 Acetabular metal liner was previously recalled in June of 2012 after high rates of failure and reports of injuries from the device.

The Smith & Nephew Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) is a type of metal-on-metal hip that uses a metal cup within the hip socket that connects to a metal ball capping the head of the femur. This was a popular choice for many because it required a less invasive surgery.

Metal-on-metal hips were marketed to younger, more active adults because of their claimed longevity. Unfortunately, these hips did the opposite of what was promised. Instead of the hips lasting 10 to 15 years, they failed in increasingly high rates.

Researchers discovered the 5-year failure rate for the metal-on-metal hip resurfacing to be 5%, quite a bit higher than the average of 2% for full hip replacements. This risk was even higher amongst women, with close to 9% failing at the five-year mark. The high failure rate of the implants has resulted in the need for revision surgery.

In addition to a high failure rate, the implants also caused a number of adverse effects in patients, including the development of pseudotumors near the implant. A pseudotumor is a buildup of fluid around the hip implant. It’s important to note that these are non-cancerous.  A pseudotumor can only be diagnosed through a MARS MRI. A MARS MRI allows your medical provider to view the soft tissue that surrounds the hip implant where pseudotumors are found.

Another issue associated with the defective implants is metallosis, a blood poisoning condition that occurs when toxic metal particles enter the bloodstream and nearby tissue. Metallosis is diagnosed through a blood test. The doctor will check the Cobalt and Chromium levels in the blood to determine if it is elevated.

Elevated Cobalt and Chromium levels can cause cognitive problems. Metallosis may also cause extreme hip and leg pain, or cause the implant to loosen, making grinding and clicking noises with movement. Unfortunately, the only way to treat metallosis is to have the metal hip implant removed.

The path to recovery following a hip revision surgery can be long. Common post-surgery difficulties for many include discomfort, pain, trouble with their gait, and a prolonged need for ambulatory assistance. The biggest issue following revision surgery is dislocation of the hip. Often the hip dislocates because the muscle, and tissue surrounding the bone have weakened. Another surgery may be necessary due to the extreme damage that the implant caused.

The Yost Legal Group is investigating claims for those who have been harmed by Smith & Nephew hip implants. If you or a loved one have suffered as a result of a Smith & Nephew Birmingham Hip Resurfacing or R3 acetabular hip implant, the time to act is now. Call 1-800-YOST-LAW or email us at info@yostlaw.com today for a FREE consultation. There is no fee unless we recover.

Exactech Offers Compensation for Faulty Hip—In Exchange for Your Legal Rights

Posted on by YostLaw

In June of 2021, many orthopedic surgeons received a letter stating Exactech’s polyethylene hip implant had been recalled. The recall was due to the high failure rate of these devices. The implants were marketed to last between 15 to 20 years, but instead were failing around the 3-to-6-year mark. These failures led to discomfort and pain, and often, the only way to alleviate the symptoms was for the victims to undergo additional surgeries.

Exactech’s Connexion GXL hip implant is a medical device used in total hip replacements. This is a “metal on plastic” hip implant, featuring an acetabular liner made of a plastic known as polyethylene. These implants are failing due to the polyethylene liners deteriorating. The deterioration exposes the metal, causing the metal components within the implant to rub together, leading the device to breakdown prematurely.

The standard hip implant should have a failure rate of less than 1% per year, meaning at the 10-year mark, 90% should still be functioning. That has not been the case for those with the Exactech hip implant. A study revealed the average time to failure for individuals with Exactech’s Connexion GXL hip implant was just over 4 years. By comparison, the industry standard has most hip implants lasting between 10-15 years.

Exactech Looks to Avoid Legal Action After High Failure Rate Forces Recall of the Connexion GXL Hip Implant

After announcing the recall, Exactech hired the company Broadspire to reach out to those with their implants to see if they were having complications. For those suffering from complications, Broadspire has offered compensation to cover the revision surgery. However, the people who chose to accept the compensation had to first agree to waive their rights to future legal action against Exactech, ensuring that the injured cannot collect payment for the pain and suffering they had suffered.

Broadspire was hired by Exactech to save the company money. They are looking out for Exactech, not those who were harmed by the device. If you have the Exactech Connexion GXL hip implant and are suffering from complications DO NOT sign a contract with Broadspire. Doing so will waive your right to legal action and your ability to claim compensation for the pain and suffering you have experienced.

If you or a loved one has the Exactech Connexion GXL hip implant, call The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-YOST-LAW (1-800-967-8529) today for a free consultation or email us at info@yostlaw.com. We are investigating claims for those who have been harmed by the Exactech Connexion GXL hip implant. There is no fee or expense unless you recover.

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