SAUSALITO, CA, October 15, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The DePuy hip implant recall has caused real concern among patients who were implanted with a metal on metal DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System or DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System. While failure rates of 12% may affect thousands of patients, doctors say that the metal toxicity from chromium and cobalt debris entering their blood stream and causing serious injury may affect all DePuy hip patients.
DePuy ASR Hip Patients Prone To Metal Toxicity
Although DePuy hip implant lawsuits generally allege that these medical devices where defective and that the company knew of the defects and failed to warn consumers, the issue of metal toxicity - or heavy metal toxicity - is also becoming a major concern for patients.
DePuy's ASR Hip Resurfacing System and ASR XL Acetabular System are a metal-on-metal monoblock devices made of chromium and cobalt. According to British studies published earlier this year, the metals rub together creating debris, or ions, which can then be deposited directly into the systemic circulation from the defective femoral cup area and into the acetabulum - the lower part of the hip where blood vessels and nerves pass directly through. Once the debris enters the blood stream, the side effects of chromium and cobalt metal toxicity can cause a wide range of problems including severe injury to organs and the brain.
DePuy Put Profits Over Patient Safety
Hundreds of DePuy hip recall lawsuits already filed alleging that, in addition to manufacturing defective products and failing to warn consumers, DePuy and Johnson and Johnson put profits over patient safety. Thousands of lawsuits are expected and DePuy has already agreed to a multi-district litigation hearing so that everyone's concerns can be addressed.
If you've been injured by the DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System, the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System or the DePuy Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System - another metal-on-metal system which may also be defective - contact an experienced DePuy hip implant recall attorney today to find out more about the pending litigation and what you can do be compensated for medical monitoring for metal toxicity and other injuries.
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