Any surgical procedure comes with at least a small element of risk. Complications can sometimes occur that puts a patient’s health at risk. However, after a recall it is important to find out if your hip is one of the devices that has been recalled.
On August 7, 2015, MicroPort Orthopedics, Inc. notified the medical community about an important recall regarding one of its products. Hospitals and distributors were told to cease all distribution and use of the MicroPort Profemur Neck Varus/Valgus Modular Neck (formerly a Wright Medical device), which is used in hip replacement surgeries, and return it to the manufacturer immediately. This was a Class 1 recall, which is the most serious type. Class 1 recalls are reserved for products that have the potential to cause serious injury or death.
The Issue
The MicroPort hip replacement product consists of two parts, a neck and a stem. The neck is the part of the product that has become problematic, with MicroPort having discovered a high rate of unexpected fractures following surgery. When a fracture occurs, one or all of the following symptoms may occur:
Difficulty walking
Sudden pain
Instability
Difficulty performing common tasks
If the fracture is acute, the patient may be required to go back into surgery immediately to remove both the neck and the stem. Unfortunately, this second surgery can bring serious complications, including neurovascular damage, hematoma, hemorrhage, or death. Medical practitioners have a difficult time diagnosing problems with these hip recalls because, aside from symptoms, it is very difficult to determine when fracturing has occurred.
About MicroPort Profemur
MicroPort’s Profemur hip replacements are known as “modular” replacements. The two-part design was designed to be able to be custom fitted to each patient, since the neck was interchangeable. The MicroPort Profemur neck piece was originally a product of Wright Medical Group but MicroPort acquired all of the company’s OrthoRecon line in 2013. Wright Medical has a strong reputation in the medical industry, but some of its hip replacement products have been problematic over the years.
These hip replacements were introduced on June 15, 2009. They were marketed as easier to insert, more maneuverable, and made to minimize stretching of the surrounding soft tissue. The product has been sold across the world and used in numerous hip replacement surgeries where a patient suffers from osteoarthritis, rheumatic arthritis, and femoral neck fracture.
What to Do
Patients who have been fitted with a MicroPort Profemur hip replacement should consult with their healthcare providers on a regular basis. The FDA cautions that there is not yet evidence that problems with this hip replacement can be predicted through any of the usual diagnosis factors, including physical exam, X-Ray, MRI, or CT scan. This means a patient and his medical practitioner will need to watch closely for any of the above-mentioned symptoms and make a decision accordingly.
Currently, Meshbesher & Spence is consulting with patients who have been fitted with the recalled MicroPort Profemur hip replacement, as well as other defective hip replacement products. If you or someone you know has suffered injury or illness as the result of a hip replacement, contact the attorneys at Meshbesher & Spence at 612.339.9121. Our experienced attorneys can help by ordering your product identification which will show what kind of hip you or your loved one received.