Post ASR Recall: New DePuy Products Introduced
In the midst of litigation related to the DePuy hip recall, the medical supply giant received clearance from the FDA on a new titanium foam to be used in two new implant systems.
The DePuy hip being introduced using the new titanium foam is the DePuy Gription TF Acetabular Augment System. The second implant being produced is a knee replacement surgery implant called the Gription TF Cones. These are the first two implants to be manufactured using the titanium foam technology.
DePuy Orthopaedics’ David Floyd, worldwide president, suggested that the titanium foam technology will be especially helpful in situations where there are complex joint replacements. The DePuy hip and knee replacements created using the titanium foam technology are supposed to allow surgeons to be more confident in addressing more challenging defects related to the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System.
Will new products cause old complications?
The release of the new DePuy hip and knee replacements come at a time when the company is receiving much negative media attention surrounding the increasing number of individuals who have filed a DePuy hip lawsuit after receiving the now recalled DePuy ASR hip implants. Those devices have been associated with serious hip complications such as hip implant dislocation, loosening of the hip implant, and metallosis; conditions that can extremely painful and debilitating and often require a hip revision surgery.
The new DePuy hip and knee implants are produced using a new, never before used titanium foam. Their effectiveness will hopefully prove more successful than the recalled DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System and ASR Hip Resurfacing system hip implants. The implants were pulled from the market due to high failure rates.
Patients encouraged to investigate all options regarding hip implants
Individuals in need of a hip replacement should conduct thorough research and question their physician extensively regarding all available options prior to undergoing any type of implant surgery. Implant surgery can be a life changing experience making mobility and comfort a part of an individual’s life after years of pain and inability to function on a regular basis due to bad joints. But a defective or poorly designed implant-like the recalled DePuy hip implant-may have the opposite effect.
Individuals who have undergone a DePuy hip implant surgery or had any other brand of hip device implanted should watch for symptoms of hip failure including: trouble walking, pain in the hip and/or groin area, squeaking or grinding in the hip socket, and lift off pain. Lift off pain is associated with pain during the moments between sitting and standing when the hip is expected to accommodate the necessary movement.
Patients should be aware that not all pain post surgery is normal. Problems may gestate for a time before becoming obvious. In light of the DePuy hip recall, all patients who have received the devices are urged to see their physicians for a screening.
