Johnson & Johnson has recalled and stopped selling an implanted hip-replacement device after defect reports surfaced.   It is being reported that  J&J’s DePuy Orthopaedics knew for years many of the 93,000 patients with ASR hip implants required corrective surgeries due to the mechanisms’ defects.
The ASR Hip Implant Devices were failing early and causing harm in a high number of patients.  The recall last week came just two days after U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials warned DePuy about selling two other hip-replacement systems for unapproved uses. DePuy generated more than $5.4 billion in sales last year, according to court filings.
This hip replacement recall affects the following products:
– ASR™ XL Acetabular System
– DePuy ASR™ Hip Resurfacing System
Patients who have had a hip replacement using either of those two products may have to undergo additional testing and treatment to ensure the hip is functioning properly. In some cases, the patient may even have to undergo an additional artificial hip replacement surgery.
How to find out if you have a recalled ASR hip implant:
Contact your orthopedic surgeon to find out if you received an ASR hip implant. Patients who do not know which surgeon performed their hip replacement surgery can ask their primary care physician or the hospital at which they underwent surgery to review their medical records for this information.
Why is the hip implant being recalled?
Five years after implantation, approximately 1 out of every 8 patients (12%-13%) who had received the ASR resurfacing device or the ASR total hip replacement needed to have a revision surgery, according to new data gathered by DePuy. Some of these revision surgeries were due to metal particles wearing off of the ball and socket components as they rub against each other over time. While these microscopic particles do not cause problems for most patients, some may react in a way that causes fluid to collect in the joint and the muscles around the joint. Over time, this could cause damage to the muscles, bones and nerves around the hip. Specialists in orthopedics should be able to run tests to determine if this is the cause of your discomfort.
What are the symptoms of a defective hip implant?
Some of the symptoms reported by patients who had to have revision surgery include normal hip replacement surgery discomforts like swelling and problems walking. However, if these symptoms return after the usual healing period, or do not go away at all, this may be a sign of a problem such as:
– Loosening, when the implant does not stay attached to the bone in the right position
– Fracture, where the bone around the implant may have broken; and
– Dislocation where the two parts of the implant that move against each other are no longer aligned.