If an artificial Stryker knee replacement system fails for any reason, whether the device components prove defective or implant components wear down over time, revision surgery may be necessary.
Most revision procedures will include surgeons removing a faulty Stryker knee device and most likely replacing it with a new implant. Each year in the U.S., thousands of knee revision surgeries are performed after patients experience complications.
Experts from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons warn that revision surgeries can cause significant damage, and even permanent injuries, as health risks are known to increase with each successive medical operation. Too often, patients are unaware of these risks when they undergo their initial replacement surgery.
Medical device companies, like Zimmer, Arthrex and Exactech, who market and distribute artificial joint products to consumers should clarify the risks, and take responsibility when their devices fail and cause serious injuries.
Joe Lyon is a highly-rated knee implant recall lawyer and product liability attorney representing plaintiffs nationwide in a wide variety of defective medical device and civil litigation claims.
Stryker Knee Implant Failure
Stryker Knee revision surgery can be required after a patient develops an infection, experiences unusual pain, or finds a decreased range of motion after an implant malfunctions.
Recently, some recipients of defective knee implants have reported a loosening of device components, and an overall instability months or years after an initial implant operation.
The cause of knee implant loosening is not always clear, though high-impact activities, excessive body weight, and wear of implant components are all contributing factors. For anybody with an implant from Arthex, Exactech or another device maker, there is a long-term risk that revision surgery will be needed due to loosening or wear.
Another common reason for revision surgery is the occurrence of bone loss, which can occur from either a defective device design or from normal friction and excessive wear on the bones from implant components.
Implant recipients cannot expect artificial knees like the Arthrex or Exactech system to function perfectly forever, though there is a reasonable expectation from medical device companies that their products perform as they are marketed.
• Loosening of an Implant—there have been multiple complaints from Zimmer, Arthrex and Exactech knee implant recipients of a general throbbing pain and instability that is due to a loosening of the device. This may be due to either faulty device design, and the bone may not fuse properly with an implant.
• Bone Fracture—when a device is loosening, and creates unnatural friction and structural damage, it may result in bone fractures.
• Infection—if a patient notices unusual swelling and inflammation in their knee after an implant surgery, or if blood tests indicate serious infection, a revision surgery may be needed to remove potentially dangerous components. Some devices have been known to cause metallosis, a type of serious metal poisoning from implanted components.
• Knee Instability—a general instability or decreased range of motion may occur if knee and leg ligaments are damaged or improperly balanced during an initial replacement surgery.
Stryker Knee Implant Revision Surgery
Recovering from knee implant surgery can be long and painful. Rehabilitation is likely to last several months. It may come as a shock and great inconvenience when a device fails and another surgery is necessary.
A second surgery required to adjust or replace an implant raises the risk of complications. This can result in huge medical bills, serious emotional distress, and a great deal of time away from work. Lost wages and other damages can be recovered in timely lawsuits.
After receiving defective knee implants some patients may feel persistent pain or notice that their new joint is not as flexible as the joint was prior to the operation. This may be a symptom of a greater issue, and some complications that may follow include:
• Blood clots
• Knee joint immobility
• Nerve damage
• Muscle damage
• Bone loss
• Infection
Defective Stryker Knee Replacements
Recipients of defective Stryker knee replacements who experience any symptom of device failure such as serious throbbing pain, difficulty standing or moving, or feeling of instability should contact their implanting surgeon and a knee implant recall lawyer for immediate consultation.
Medical devices have been known to dissemble, cause bone fractures, damage nerves, cause infection, and other injuries. Stryker and other device companies issue recalls for their products, though sometimes thousands of patients are endangered before the faulty device is removed from the market.
This causes more revision surgeries, more potential injuries, and more lawsuits directed at the companies responsible for failing to properly test or warn American consumers.
Defective Knee Implant Injury
• Fracturing
• Loosening of components
• Sizing issues
• Risk of infection
• Damage of muscle, bone or surrounding tissue
• Mislabeled components
• Metal debris
• Assembly difficulties
• Defective design
• Contaminated materials
Stryker Knee Implant Recalls
There are around 600,000 total knee replacement surgeries performed in the U.S. each year, and those numbers are increasing year-on-year with an aging population. Medical devices can be tremendously helpful for those with decreased mobility, but can also worsen one’s quality of life if the device is in fact defective.
Medical device companies have said their products will improve a patient’s range of motion and act as a stable knee replacement. But many reports filed with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and with operating surgeons describe failures of some Stryker knee implants.
The Lyon Firm represents clients who have suffered through no fault of their own and deserve compensation for the pain and suffering brought on by a defective product.
Consumers have a right to file a lawsuits when a negligent company fails to properly test and warn consumers of the safety risks of a product. Knee implants can be the best medical decision a patient can make, but when the implant is ultimately defective, it can be one of the worst experiences of their life.
When Stryker knee implant defects cause injury and lead to revision surgery and extreme pain, The Lyon Firm can work on plaintiffs behalf to file a product liability lawsuit.
Knee Failure Studies
A study published in the Journal of Knee Surgery noted a high rate of early failure related to knee implant tibial components. The study scoured FDA reports and its adverse event database related to certain knee implants, as well as clinical and radiographic findings for patients who implanted with the faulty system.
The surgeons on record attributed knee implant failures to the debonding of the tibial implant-cement interface, a critical adhesive component used to hold an implant in place. If the tibial component of the knee implant loosens, the entire knee replacement may be destabilized.
Artificial knee implants are marketed as lasting a minimum of 15 years, but some are known to fail much sooner, often only a year or two after the implant was inserted.
