V40 Head Hip Implant Recalled

Hip implants are an unfortunate necessity for many Americans. They provide the mobility that may have been lost due to age, illness, or injury and restore quality of life that had previously been compromised. However, they don’t always live up to standards; implants and their accompanying mechanisms can fail, become misaligned, and succumb to numerous other malfunctions.

In the case of Stryker Corporation’s LFIT Anatomic CoCr V40 Femoral Head commonly referred to as the “V40 Head”, the device eventually fell victim to corrosion; causing the metal to break down and toxins to leak into the surrounding metal and bone tissue, leading to a product recall.

The V40 connects to the top of the stem of the hip implant. When it fails, the step falls into the underside of the femoral head (the highest part of the thigh bone) causing damage and disconnection from it. Not all variations of the device are included in the recall, but patients with the V40 model are advised to contact their doctors if they notice pain or any abnormalities in the area of their implant. This dangerous defect can cause serious damage to muscle and bone tissue surrounding the implant, and cause falls that it intended to prevent.

Significant costs associated with implant failure

Fractures, metallic debris, and other complications that can arise from a faulty V40 can cost patients their quality of life, and their money. Painful hip revision surgery may be needed in order to have patients regain their mobility. Many of these patients are elderly, and shouldn’t have to undergo additional surgery to correct what was supposed to help their problems in the first place.

Models that have been made prior to 2011 are the most at risk, with lists of possible devices affected available online, and the consequences of this defect can be severe.

• Broken bones
• Metallosis Poisoning- a buildup of metal in soft tissue
• Inflammation
• Pain
• Loss of mobility

Patients should be on the lookout for chronic discomfort in the area of the implant, inflammation, and any change in the state of their mobility. Stryker, the company responsible for the V40, failed to notify patients of any possible defect or the resulting effects, leaving people in pain without answers.

If you or a loved one has suffered from the effects of a defective medical device, you need to take action as soon as possible before the applicable statute of limitations runs out. At Schweickert & Ganassin, LLP, we’re dedicated to holding manufacturers accountable for the actions they take and products they distribute, and we’ll evaluate your case for free. One surgery is enough, no one should have to suffer through more pain and more stress due to another’s negligence. Contact us today.