Smith & Nephew is a medical device manufacturer in London that provides their products worldwide used in hip, knee, and shoulder replacements. Their latest recall involving their hip replacement systems and the company voluntarily mailed out safety notice letters to inform the consumer on November 15, 2016.
The devices involved in the recall are the modular neck hip prostheses of the Modular SMF and Modular REDAPT revision femoral hip systems. The joint replacement manufacturing giant made the decision to issue the hip system recalls because of, in their words, “a higher than anticipated complaint and adverse event trend.” This is not the first time the company has seen such complaints and adverse events in their history, but this latest one is due to their medical devices posing the danger to patients of metal debris being released by the implant into the blood. This can cause chromium and cobalt ion releases into the blood that can cause blood poisoning and also DNA damage (genotoxicity). Muscles and bones can be destroyed with these issues and the toxicity can carry over to other organs as well. The cobalt ions have caused heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy). Metal poisoning occurs when there is loosening of the medical device and the bone and muscle surrounding the replacement deteriorate.
Companies such as Smith & Nephew have had reputations of making their products but having budgets in advance for anticipated problems, lawsuits, and settlements. This is a sad state of affairs for products that impact the health and very life of consumers. For instance, in 2015 Smith & Nephew were said to have set aside $203 million dollars because they anticipated problems, lawsuits, and legal expenses. If you are the recipient of a problem, recalled medical device product, you do have legal options to take and Smith & Nephew has readied itself in advance. They are offering revision surgery costs and pain and suffering settlements as well. It is vital that recipients of these, or any other recalled medical device products, consult their doctors immediately but also look at their legal options with a well-respected, caring, professional law firm specializing in such issues.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a recalled Smith & Nephew product, or any medical device, drug, or other product, consult your medical provider and please contact Inserra Kelley Sewell, Personal Injury Attorneys, to discuss your possible claim and entitlement to compensation for your damages.