DePuy ASR Hip Replacement Recall

The American company, DePuy Orthopaedics Inc have issued an urgent recall of replacement hip systems in two models used in Ireland since 2003.

The two DePuy ASR hip models that have been declared faulty and recalled are the following:

1. DePuy ASR Articular Surface System
2. DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System

The main problems of both of the above hip replacement systems differentiates on between patients but the primary cause for concern which has led to the recall is the rate at which the implants are shedding debris. In theory, hip replacements will undergo a small amount of friction between the implant and the bone which will cause microscopic particles of debris to be distributed throughout the body as a result. This is completely normal. However, the problem with the DePuy ASR hip replacement systems is that they essentially wear away at the remaining hip structure on a person. This can cause inflammation of the hip bone along with infections with the most serious scenario of it resulting in a hip fracture around the hip implant.
The terminology of this recall has been coined as ‘higher than expected.’ Basically, there standard failure rate of hip replacements is 5% within the first five years. However, according to data collected, the failure rate of the DePuy ASR Articular Surface System was 12%, with the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System coming in at 13%. Hip replacements are meant to last for 15 years on average, however the rejection rate after 7 years of the DePuy products listed is 44% which is almost half.
A fairly recent case ran in the High Court were a woman was awarded €700,000 in compensation as a result of the injuries she sustained from a routine hip replacement procedure with one of DePuy hip replacement systems. DePuy themselves did not require the Plaintiff in this case to provide that their product was defective which shows a clear admission that they know their products are below the standard expected for the industry.
There have been around 3,500 DePuy products used in Ireland, a higher proportion than in many other countries allegedly. Due to the number of successful legal cases that have occurred in recent years in Ireland, it is increasingly likely that DePuy will pay out in most instances where clear negligence has happened in the unfortunate patients who have suffered personal injury as a result of the defective product. Initially, DePuy responded to the allegations by blaming doctors claiming they did not fit the hips correctly but this has largely been disproven that they in actual fact went against ‘received wisdom.’
If you or anyone you know have undergone a hip replacement in the last 10+ years in Ireland, you have most likely been fitted with a DePuy artificial hip and could be exposed to the injury as a result. At Rogers Solicitors, we can go through your symptoms and consult with our doctor and establish whether you have a legal case to bring against the manufacturers of your hip replacement free of charge.