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Iowa Resident Brings Suit Against Stryker For Damages Caused By Recalled Hip Implant – News Press Release | PharmiWeb.com.

Iowa Resident Brings Suit Against Stryker For Damages Caused By Recalled Hip Implant

Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein LLP Posted on:22 Feb 13

Stryker Logo imagesWendy Fleishman and Lexi J. Hazam of the national plaintiffs’ law firm Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, announced that Karla Krogman of West Des Moines, Iowa, filed a lawsuit against Stryker Orthopaedics charging that the company manufactured and sold a defective artificial hip implant, known as the Rejuvenate System. In her complaint, Ms. Krogman seeks just compensation for her injuries and damages due to the faulty Stryker hip implant, including physical pain and mental anguish, past and future medical expenses, and lost wages.

Stryker recalled its Rejuvenate hip implant, along with the ABG II Modular Neck hip implant, in June 2012 due to “fretting and/or corrosion” in the implant which may lead to an “adverse local tissue reaction, as well as possible pain and/or swelling, in or around [the] hip.” For Ms. Krogman, the Stryker recall came too late.

Ms. Krogman was implanted with the Stryker Rejuvenate device in her right hip in February 2011. Soon thereafter, Ms. Krogman experienced significant pain and discomfort, and was unable to continue her normal activities. Tests revealed high levels of cobalt and chromium in her bloodstream, and fluid build-up in her right hip. As a result, Ms. Krogman was forced to undergo revision surgery to remove and replace the faulty Stryker hip in November 2012.

“The revision surgery from this defective device is incredibly painful, a hundred times worse than the original total hip replacement surgery,” Ms. Krogman stated. “I wish that Stryker had acted responsibly and been transparent with patients.”

The lawsuit was filed today in state court in New Jersey, where Stryker’s headquarters are located.

Alleged Defect In Stryker Rejuvenate And ABG II Modular-Neck Hip Implant Systems Explained

Most artificial hip implants consist of a one-piece neck and stem, and a cup. Stryker’s Rejuvenate and ABG II systems included multiple neck and stem components that the surgeon could choose from. Stryker marketed the Rejuvenate and ABG II systems as being the “next generation” and “latest evolution” in their hip replacement product lines. Stryker began selling the Rejuvenate hip system in 2009 and the ABG II hip system in 2010.

The Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II necks are made of chromium and cobalt, and the stems are coated with titanium, creating a metal-on-metal junction. The complaint charges that Stryker conducted no clinical testing on the safety and effectiveness of either set of devices in hip replacement patients prior to introducing them to the market.

“For nearly 30 years, corrosion and the release of metallic debris have been noted in the medical literature as problems associated with artificial joints manufactured with chromium, cobalt, and titanium,” stated Ms. Fleishman.

“Despite its awareness of these reports, the complaint alleges that Stryker represented that the proprietary material in its hip implants avoided this problem. Yet, it for this very reason – metallosis – that the Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II hip implants have failed in many patients,” added Ms. Hazam.

Legal Resources For Stryker Hip Patients

If you or a family member have experienced problems with a Stryker Rejuvenate Modular Primary Hip System or a Stryker ABG II Modular Hip System replacement implant, or have been told your implant should be replaced, please contact Lieff Cabraser. Or you may call us toll-free at 1 800-541-7358 and ask to speak to attorney Wendy Fleishman or Lexi J. Hazam.

We welcome the opportunity to review your claim. We will respond promptly and there is no charge or obligation on your part for our evaluation of your case.

In addition to representing clients in the Stryker hip litigation, Lieff Cabraser represents hip replacement patients nationwide in lawsuits to obtain compensation for their injuries caused by the recalled DePuy ASR artificial hip, the DePuy Pinnacle hip implant with a metal liner (called the Ultamet metal liner), and the Wright Profemur-Z hip system manufactured with metal components.

About Lieff Cabraser

Recognized as “one of the nation’s premier plaintiffs’ firms” by The American Lawyer, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP is a sixty-plus attorney law firm with offices in San Francisco, New York, and Nashville.

Since 2003, The National Law Journal has selected Lieff Cabraser as one of the top plaintiffs’ law firms in the nation. We are one of only two plaintiffs’ law firms in the United States to receive this honor for the last ten consecutive years. Best Lawyers and U.S. News named Lieff Cabraser as their 2012 “Law Firm of the Year” for representing plaintiffs in class actions and mass torts.

Trademark Notice

The Rejuvenate Modular Primary Hip System and the ABG II Modular Hip System are trademarks of Stryker Corporation. The DePuy ASR XL Acetabular, ASR Hip Resurfacing, and Pinnacle systems are trademarks of DePuy Orthopaedics and Johnson & Johnson Company. The Wright Profemur-Z is a trademark of Wright Medical. These trademarks are used for informational and product identification purposes only. Lieff Cabraser is not affiliated with Stryker, DePuy, Johnson & Johnson, or Wright, and nothing on this website is authorized or approved by Stryker Corporation, DePuy Orthopaedics, Johnson & Johnson Company, or Wright Medical.

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