Sunday, July 26, 2009

Zimmer Durom Hip Replacements are Faulty

By Maxwell Schmickman

As American's life expectancies grow longer, more and more of our body parts are wearing out before we do. One of the first and most common to go are our joints, especially those located at our hips. Because of years of activity, these joints can become worn down as we age, and must be replaced medically. It's become a very common procedure, and it's likely that you or an older loved one has had a hip replaced. If so, read on please, because there is important information you need to know about hip replacement that have been recalled as faulty, made by the manufacturer Zimmer Durom.

There are many reasons that you or a loved one may have received a Zimmer Durom hip replacement, leading to danger for yourself of your loved ones. Hip replacement, also known as hip arthroplasty, is a common procedure in which the hip joint is removed and replaced by a prosthetic implant. This can be done for a variety of reasons, which include the pain of arthritis which was affecting the joint, damage to the joint over a long life, or the treatment of a hip fracture, an injury common to the elderly.

The modern hip replacement operation, using such mechanical parts as those manufactured by Zimmer Durom, has been taking place for almost 40 years. This is why it may seem so common place to you, and surprising that there are such issues with the procedure. It involves three pieces, designed to mimic the movements of a natural hip joint. They are the metal replacement for the femur bone, a part designed to mimic the hip joint itself, which can vary from implant to implant, and bone cement or screws to hold it in place.

One of the most common issues with hip replacements is the need for revision, or a further surgery to correct issues with the implant. Unfortunately, this is something many elderly and even healthy young patients cannot tolerate. It is the focus of the Zimmer Durom recall. The Zimmer Durom device was used by doctors in younger patients that would normally need a hip replacement, as it was designed to be long lasting. However, almost 12 percent of these patients needed surgery again within two years, prompting an outcry.

Zimmer Durom maintains that this high failure rate is the result of surgeon error, but their own study has shown that 8 percent of patients need a revision in under two years, and it was pulled from the market in July 2008. Many doctors and lawyers believe that the issue is with the replacement, and there is a right to sue.

If you or a loved one received a Zimmer Durom hip replacement, something your doctor will know, you may have the right to join a class action law suit, even if your replacement has not yet failed.. Be wary of signing anything by Zimmer Durom, as that may be a release taking away this right.

About the Author:

0 comments:

Post a Comment