Stryker Citation | Hip Implant Injury

Stryker Citation Lawsuits

Investigating stryker hip replacement injury cases

Stryker Orthopedics has initiated a recall of a critical component in thousands of hip replacement systems in Australia and Canada, including the Stryker Meridian implant. This development has raised concerns in the United States, where hip implants have become increasingly common among both doctors and patients.

It is expected that Stryker will soon announce a recall of its hip implants in the U.S. due to a higher-than-anticipated number of complaints related to taper lock failures.

The Stryker LFIT V40 femoral head, which is used in Meridian hip replacement devices, has already been recalled in other countries due to a significant volume of complaints, ranging from minor inflammation to severe health issues caused by excessive metallic debris.

The potential risks are associated with the LFIT head, which is connected to Meridian stem systems. While physicians and surgeons have already received recall notices, patients are yet to be officially informed as Stryker is currently assessing the extent of the problem.

Who is at Risk of Injury?

The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration warned in a September, 2016 hazard alert that crucial components used in Stryker’s Citation hip replacements have higher-than-expected rates of failures. It has been identified that some LFIT V40 femoral heads manufactured before 2011 have high incidences of taper lock failures.

The Australian health agency identified seven Stryker models using the LFIT hip femoral heads, with head diameters ranging from 36 mm to 44 mm, which may cause issues for patients. Stryker’s products with similar specifications have been included in the hazard alert. Possible defective Stryker femoral heads are used in the following models:

•    Citation
•    Accolade TMZF
•    Accolade 2
•    Meridian

Hip Replacement Failure Lawsuits

Patients who suspect they may have a faulty hip system should make it a priority to consult with a healthcare professional or the surgeon who performed the implant surgery. This is especially important if they encounter symptoms such as pain, reduced mobility, or instability.

The approval process for new medical devices by the FDA is notably permissive. This may lead to instances where defective products like hip implants can harm American consumers. Those who have been harmed by hip replacement failure and their legal representatives are actively striving to hold medical device companies, such as Stryker, accountable for the sale and distribution of these unsafe and faulty products.

Stryker Citation Hip Implant Failure

New recalls suggest Stryker LFIT femoral heads manufactured before 2011 are associated with dangerous failure and metallosis. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned in the past that certain patients, including female patients, are at risk for increased hip implant device wear and adverse reactions to metal debris. Patients may also experience the following dangerous side effects:

•    Loss of mobility (trouble walking)
•    Moderate to severe pain
•    Inflammation
•    Adverse local tissue reactions (rashes)
•    Implant dislocation
•    Joint instability
•    Bone fractures around the components
•    Metallosis (reaction to metallic debris in blood)

Other symptoms of a failing hip implants include:

•    Dead tissue around the implant
•    Infection
•    Formation of cysts or pseudo-tumors
•    Nerve damage

Stryker Citation Recalls

Stryker has reportedly sent a warning notice to orthopedic surgeons using their Citation hip implants. According to the warning, the Stryker LFIT hip implant components, used in the Citation units, may cause failures. Hip system failures where the femoral head connects to the femoral neck compromise the entire implant system and places a patient’s health in jeopardy.

Anybody with a Citation hip system should contact their doctor at the first sign of failure, and go for regular follow-up consultations to ensure the device is properly functioning. Unfortunately, many hip implant issues require invasive hip revision surgery.

Stryker Hip Implant Lawsuits

Orthopedic surgeons and recipients of implants have reported hip failures in the Citation system similar to the Rejuvenate and ABGII recall that occurred in June 2012. All Stryker products with failing components are made of the same TMZF metal alloy including the Stryker Citation.

Numerous lawsuits were filed in U.S. courts in 2014 after many patients had suffered failures of Stryker LFIT V40 femoral heads. Lawyers alleged that the components were defectively designed and manufactured. Stryker has not disclosed the cause of the failures.

Failing Stryker Hip Replacements

Patients with an affected implant should follow up with a health professional or implanting surgeon, particularly if they experience instability, pain, or loss of mobility.

American consumers are at the mercy of the lenient FDA approval process for new medical devices. Many defective products on the market, like hip implants, further injure patients looking for a better quality of life. Victims and attorneys are forcing medical device companies like Stryker to claim responsibility for the defective products they market and distribute.