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Investigations

Stryker L-Fit V40 Recall

Stryker Metal Hips

Stryker has had a number of problems with its metal-on-metal hip implants over the years. Their most recent recall comes less than 5 years after they recalled their Rejuvenate and ABG II implants. This latest recall involves over 42,000 L-Fit V40 metal femoral heads with larger offsets ranging from 35mm to 44m in head diameter. In November 2016 Stryker issued a Class 2 FDA recall on certain L-Fit V40 femoral heads. The reason for the recall was harm caused by failure of the implants’ taper lock system. However, the high failure rates seem to extend beyond the 42,000 femoral heads that were recalled.. Find information on the FDA recall here.

Stryker Litigation

There is coordinated litigation both in federal court in Massachusetts and state court in New Jersey. In April 2017 MDL 2768, Stryker LFit V40 Femoral Head Products Liability Litigation was created and all federal court cases are now transferred to Boston for pretrial coordination. Find the MDL transfer Order here. The New Jersey Supreme Court has also centralized all New Jersey state court proceedings in connection with the Stryker L-Fit V40 litigation in Bergen County before Judge Rachelle Lea Harz.

Stryker’s TMZF Titanium Stems

Stryker has had a long history of problems with its TMZF titanium stems when used in combination with Chrome/Cobalt components. In 2012 it recalled its Rejuvenate and ABG II stems which were made from TMZF titanium metal because the metal components were fretting and corroding. Similar failures have been seen with the Stryker Accolade stems particularly when used in combination with Stryker L-Fit V40 Chrome/Cobalt femoral heads. This combination of mixed metals is the same combination of mixed metals that caused high failure rates with the Rejuvenate and ABG II implants.

Patients with Accolade stems have reported the same complications that plagued those implanted with defective Rejuvenate and ABG II stems. When Accolade patients suffering from pain and restricted motion have been sent for the appropriate blood tests, results have shown metal poisoning, and imaging often reveals large collections of fluid and pseudotumors. These can be very painful and cause permanent tissue necrosis that requires surgery to remove the existing implant and replace it with a new one. These types of revision surgeries tend to be very complicated and often require a much longer recovery time period.

The Latest Stryker Recall

Recent articles in several medical journals have reported that Accolade stems, when used with L-Fit V40 Chrome/Cobalt heads, are failing at high rates as a result of fretting and corrosion at the head/stem connection. The literature has indicated higher failure rates with the larger femoral heads, typically 36mm and larger. As a result Stryker limited the recall to the larger L-Fit V40 femoral heads with offsets of +4 or greater. However, failures have been reported with all femoral head sizes.

Interestingly, the recall only involves femoral heads manufactured between 2002 and 2011. This is particularly puzzling because there is no indication that the V40 heads were redesigned after 2011. It also unclear why only the larger offset heads were recalled. The degree of offset merely indicates the position where the head comes to final rest on the stem and there does not appear to be an association between the degree of offset and failure rates. Experience indicates that all the V40 heads may be failing at higher rates.

Current V40 Litigation

There is coordinated litigation both in federal court in Massachusetts and state court in New Jersey. In April 2017 MDL 2768, Stryker LFit V40 Femoral Head Products Liability Litigation was created and all federal court cases are now transferred to Boston for pretrial coordination. Find the MDL transfer Order here. The New Jersey Supreme Court has also centralized all New Jersey state court proceedings in connection with the Stryker L-Fit V40 litigation in Bergen County before Judge Rachelle Lea Harz.

Protect Your Rights

If you believe you or a loved one have suffered from harm by a Stryker Hip Implant, contact us today for a free case evaluation. There are time limits by which you need to file a product liability lawsuit. Those limits could time bar your case if it is not filed in a timely manner. Your state of residence, when you ingested the drug and when you experienced injuries could all affect how much time you have to file.

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Securities Lawyer Melissa_Hague

Melissa Fry Hague

If you believe you or a loved one may have an Stryker claim, contact us today. One of our attorneys will contact you within 24 hours to conduct a free and confidential evaluation of your case.

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In our legal system, every person is innocent until and unless found guilty by a court of law or a tribunal. Whenever we reference “allegations” or charges that are “alleged,” such allegations or charges have not been proven, and are merely accusations, not findings of fault, as of the date of the blog. We do not have, nor do we undertake, a duty to continue to monitor or follow cases about which we report, and/or to publish subsequent updates regarding various developments that may occur in such cases. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research regarding any such cases and any developments that may or may not have occurred in such cases. Also, the brokercheck report linked to some of our blogs is the up-to-date version as of the date of accessing. Visitors may check the most recent version of each brokercheck report at www.finra.org.

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