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About Metal-on-Metal Hip Implants.

About Metal-on-Metal Hip Implants

If you or your loved one has endured a MoM hip implant and suffered serious side effects or needed a replacement hip please contact Anapol Schwartz. MoM Recall Attorneys

Metal-on-Metal hip implants (also known as MoM) consist of a ball, stem and shell, all made of metal materials. MoM hip implant systems may be more suitable for younger and physically active patients because the metal is durable enough to last a long time.

MoM hip implants were designed to offer these benefits:

  • Decreased chance of device fracture
  • Decreased chance of dislocation when the ball of the thighbone or femur slips out of its socket in the hip bone or pelvis
  • Less total material being removed from the ball and socket when rubbing against each other as compared to other hip implant systems

What are the two types of MoM hip systems?

  • Traditional total hip replacement implant
  • Total resurfacing hip implant

Because the metal ball and the metal cup slide against each other during walking or running, some tiny metal particles may wear off the medical device and enter into the space around the implant.

Alert: Some of the metal ions from the metal implant or from the metal particles may even get into your bloodstream.

While orthopedic surgeons take precautions to try and control how the ball and socket rub against each other, there is no way to totally avoid the metal particle production. People react differently to these metal particles.

Over time, metal particles around some implants can cause damage to bone and/or tissue surrounding the implant and joint. This is sometimes referred to as adverse local tissue reaction or adverse reaction to metal debris. Either of these adverse reactions may cause the MoM hip implant to become loose or cause pain requiring replacement surgery where the old device is removed and replaced with another one.

Patients who have MoM hip implants should be educated by their healthcare team about potential symptoms which might occur after surgery which indicate their MoM hip device is not functioning correctly. Such symptoms include:

  • Pain in the groin, hip or leg
  • Swelling at or near the hip joint
  • A limp or change in walking ability

Some metal on metal hip implant systems like DePuy ASR™ XL Acetabular System and Zimmer Durom® Acetabular Component have voluntarily been recalled. This doesn’t mean that every hip implant is bad. Or conversely, if a MoM hip device has not been recalled, that doesn’t mean it is free of adverse side effects.

Patients who have received a metal on metal hip implant should pay close attention to changes in their general well being and let your healthcare professional know if you suffer from any of these ailments:

  • Heart – chest pain, shortness of breath
  • Nerves – numbness, weakness, change in vision or hearing
  • Thyroid – fatigue, feeling cold, weight gain
  • Kidney – change in urination habits

Contact Our Biomet Hip Implant Lawyers Today »

If you or your loved one has endured a MoM hip implant and suffered serious side effects or needed a replacement hip – please contact Anapol Schwartz, a leader in unsafe medical device cases like the MoM hip implant. Talk to a lawyer to find out the facts about your legal options.

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