Friday, January 16, 2009

Faulty Zimmer Durom Hip Cups Lead to Lawsuits

By Maxwell Schmickman

As a people, American's are living much longer than we used to. This is great news! But with a longer lifespan also comes new health problems. Because we're living longer and more active lives, we sometimes outlive the life of our joints. In that case, they need to be replaced, through such procedures as hip or knee replacement surgery. Normally, these operations give people a new lease on their lives, but this isn't always the case, and there can be complications. If you or someone you know has received a hip replacement, they will need to know the following information about faulty Zimmer Durom hip cups used in that operation.

As you get older, it's likely that you're feeling more aches and pains than you used to. For many of us, this is due to joint wear and tear caused by our everyday activities. Because we're living longer, we're also doing more damage to our joints than we used to. When you have this type of joint damage, a hip replacement operation, the kind that used the Zimmer Durom hip cup, is a good option. Hip replacement surgeries are also used in cases where patients have progressive joint diseases, such as arthritis, or have suffered damage due to a broken hip.

In hip replacement surgery, the femur and the hip joint are removed, and are replaced with artificial parts. In the past, these parts have often been subject to wear and tear, and have had to be replaced themselves, which can be difficult to an elderly patient to take. The Zimmer Durom hip cup was invented for the purpose of allowing young, active seniors who needed a hip replacement to get only one, that was designed to last the rest of their lives. Unfortunately for thousands of people, this promise has not held true.

While the Zimmer Durom hip cup was marketed specifically for its longevity, this has not held true during use. Because of marketing claims, many hospitals have been using this specific device for younger hip replacement patients, with the promise that they will not need hip replacement surgery again. However, this claim hasn't held true. At one hospital, 12 percent of patients needed surgery to replace their replacement within two years! When contacted, the company maintained that this was due to 'surgeon error' and not to faulty hip replacements.

But in fact, this does not seem to be the case at all. When the company did their own evaluation of the Zimmer Durom hip cup, they found that eight percent needed to be replaced within two years. This is not what they promised in their marketing literature, and not the outcome that either patients or doctors wanted or expected. Because this was promised as a solution that avoided surgery, not added more, the faulty nature of the implants is leading to a class action law suit.

If you or a loved one have received a hip replacement, now is the time to ask your doctor if it involved the Zimmer Durom hip cup. If it did, you may have the right to sue, even if your replacement has not yet failed. Ask your doctor today. - 16463

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