DePuy Recall Draws Attention to Risks of Metal Hip Implants
December 10, 2010, 02:12 pm
The recent recall of DePuy hip implants has drawn new attention to the
risks of metal-on-metal joint replacements.

DePuy's August 2010 recall of the company's ASR XL Acetabular System total
hip replacement and the ASR HIP Resurfacing system, both composed of
metal-on-metal components, occurred after data showed that the implants
failed at significantly higher rates than other models.

The DePuy hip replacements first became available in 2003, and have since
been used in thousands of patients. Yet while they were intended to help
alleviate chronic hip problems and restore mobility, for many patients, they
have been the source of additional complications.

According to the results of a study recently released by DePuy Orthopaedics,
12 to 13 percent of patients who received one of the recalled devices needed
to undergo replacement surgery only five years after the original procedure.

While many experts largely fault the design of the recalled implants for
this high failure rate, others point to the dangers posed by metal debris
released by the hip replacements. As the metal components of the DePuy hip
replacements rub against each other, they release small metal particles into
the body, which can accumulate over time and pose serious health risks in
some patients.

Experts maintain that these health risks may have long-term implications
that are not yet fully understood, especially since the use of
metal-on-metal hip replacements is a relatively new phenomenon.

more...

http://www.drugwatch.com/news/2010/1...-hip-implants/