A hip replacement surgery is indicated for severe cases of joint failure caused by debilitating bone disease such as osteoarthritis. Also known as hip arthroplasty, this is an invasive surgical procedure implemented to replace irreversibly damaged hip joints with an artificial hip implant distinctly chosen to suit the case of the patient. One of the pharmaceutical companies known to manufacture hip replacement devices is DePuy Orthopaedics but a recall was issued for the alleged defective metal-on-metal ASR XL Acetabular Hip System and ASR Hip Resurfacing System. Earlier than this incident, a recall was also ordered for Stryker Corp.'s ceramic hip replacement products which were known as Stryker Acetebular Cup and Stryker Hemispherical Cup.

Although a hip replacement surgery has been found to be quite effective there are some risks and complications involved and these are:

  • Dislocation
For a hip replacement surgical wound to fully heal, it usually takes eight to twelve weeks. It is during this period where the risk for dislocation of the hip implant is high since the femoral ball could easily be dislodged due to accidents or strain to the affected site. Due to this, dislocation is the most common complication of a hip arthroplasty.
  • Osteolysis
Hip implants can get loosened as time goes by due to the wearing tendency of the surrounding bone area and this process is called osteolysis. An osteolysis can occur as time passes on when debris from the hip device's polyethylene, the material used in ceramic ones similar to Stryker's hip implants, accumulates and causes an inflammatory reaction which ultimately leads to bone resorption.
  • Metal Sensitivity/Metal Toxicity
Metal sensitivity occurs about 10-15% of the population and in worst case scenarios, it could lead to metal toxicity.
  • Nerve Palsy
This is a disorder of the nerves which can be a result of unwanted damage to the specific nerve. In a hip arthroplasty, femoral nerve palsy is a rare occurrence and the likelihood to acquire this complication is low.
  • Chronic Pain
Another complication of hip replacement surgery is chronic pain. This can be secondary to other complications of the operation such as bursitis or improper placement of the hip implant. During the cold seasons or cold weather, the hip joint may be painful for some recipients of this device.
  • Uneven Length of Lower Limbs
Some recipients report they had uneven leg length after the surgery. But it could be a psychological reaction to the operation, some experts believe. But, there were cases where they actually had unequal length of the lower limbs after the surgery probably due to incompatible size of the artificial femoral head.
  • Death
This is the least known complication though.

If you feel that the issuance of a DePuy hip replacement recall was not enough to compensate for the damages you experienced due to the defective hip implants, you can actually raise you case with the help of an adept hip replacement lawyer.~For those who suffered from defective metal-on-metal DePuy hip implants, there was a DePuy hip replacement recall issued and you can actually try to contact a DePuy hip replacement lawyer and have your case moving. For more information about, visit related sites available.