Texas Lawyer for Hip Replacement Metallosis

Hip replacement metallosis is one side effect of metal-on-metal hip implants. When the metal ball and socket grind together as a person walks, the hip replacement may shed tiny particles of chromium or cobalt. These can leak into the bloodstream, causing death of bones and nearby tissues. In some people, toxic metal hip replacements may cause severe disability, including blindness, deafness, heart damage leading to heart failure, death, and other severe side effects. Despite the fact that experts are now calling for a ban of metal-on-metal hip implants, these devices continue to be sold and implanted.

 

Do I Have a Metallosis Lawsuit? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you or a loved one has been injured by a toxic metal-on-metal hip implant, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a hip implant metallosis lawsuit.

What is Metallosis?

Metallosis (or “metal poisoning”) is the name of a condition that can be caused by fragments of metal-on-metal hip implants leaking into nearby tissues. In some people (especially those with metal sensitivity, impaired kidney function, or impaired renal function), these fragments cause a severe immune system response. Areas of tissue around the hip replacement become inflamed. Over time, this tissue, muscle, and bone can die.

In the most severe cases of hip replacement metallosis, the levels of chromium or cobalt metal particles in the bloodstream can reach toxic levels. Toxic metal poisoning can cause permanent disability, including deafness, blindness, heart damage, organ failure, lifelong disability, or death.

Symptoms of Metallosis

Cobalt poisoning is a risk of metal-on-metal hip implants. Alaskan health authorities published this report regarding the case of two older Americans who suffered cobalt metallosis from metal-on-metal hip implants. One of the patients had severe cobalt poisoning — the amount of cobalt in his bloodstream was 100-times the normal amount.

Signs and symptoms of metallosis may include, but are not limited to:

  • Pain around the hip implant
  • Tumor-like growths that are filled with fluid
  • Rash
  • Necrosis (death of tissues around the hip replacement)
  • Elevated levels of chromium or cobalt in the bloodstream
  • Loosening of the implant
  • Visual impairment (blindness)
  • Cardiomyopathy (heart damage that can lead to heart failure)
  • Cognitive impairment
  • Auditory impairment (deafness)
  • Hyperthyroidism
  • Peripheral neuropathy

Treatment for Metallosis

If you were diagnosed with metallosis, or metal poisoning caused by chromium or cobalt in your metal-on-metal hip implant, it may be necessary for you to undergo additional surgery to remove the toxic hip implant and replace it with a plastic or ceramic design.

Additional surgeries are extremely painful, expensive, time-consuming, and can decrease your quality of life. It can be extremely frustrating to learn that there has been concern regarding the safety of these devices for some time. In fact, scientific studies began warning about the risks of these devices in the 1990s. Even so, the FDA approved several metal-on-metal designs without requiring the manufacturers to conduct any safety studies or long-term studies. Recently, European experts have called for patients with these devices to undergo blood tests, and they are calling for a ban of the devices. Even so, these devices continue to be advertised, sold, and implanted in unsuspecting older Americans.

If you decide to file a lawsuit for hip replacement metallosis or other side effects of a metal-on-metal hip implant, you may receive financial compensation for your injuries. You may also wish to file a lawsuit seeking justice for your injuries, or to send a message to the manufacturers of these devices.

Scientific Studies of Hip Replacement Metallosis

Experts have been warning about the risks of hip replacement metallosis since the 1990s. This study was published in 1996, and described metallosis as a side effect of metal-on-metal hip replacements. This study was published in 2002 and described a patient who had a metal-on-metal hip replacement and subsequently suffered severe metallosis.

The Lancet recently published this study, which found that metal-on-metal hip implants had a higher five-year failure rate compared to ceramic or plastic hip replacements. They found the following risks:

  • 6.2% of metal-on-metal hip replacements failed after five years
  • 2.3% of ceramic designs failed after five years
  • 1.7% of plastic designs failed after five years

Though metal-on-metal hip replacements are marketed toward younger, more active hip implant recipients, the evidence that they fail prematurely and have a risk of metallosis suggests that doctors and patients should consider other designs first. The experts who conducted this study are now calling for a ban of metal-on-metal hip replacements. The devices continue to be marketed, sold, and implanted. Hundreds of thousands of Americans may have the devices.

Do I have a Metallosis Lawsuit?

Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.

Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”

The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $60 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact us for a free Hip Implant Metallosis lawsuit review.

Meet Your Attorney

Collen A. Clark

Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.

“Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”

To contact Collen, please fill out the contact form below:

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