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Florida, Hip and Knee, Hip Replacement, Knee, knee replacement, Patient, surgery, Warranty, Washington
Docs for Hip and Knee Warranties? | Safe Patient Project.
Docs for Hip and Knee Warranties?
Posted by Daniela Nuñez in Hip and Knee Replacement
Since last September, Consumers Union’s Safe Patient Project has been calling on the top hip and knee manufacturers to warranty their products. A warranty would cover revision surgery for patients if their implant is defective –for example, if the implant breaks, fails to adhere to the patient’s body or emits metal particles into tissue or blood. Shockingly, only one hip and knee implant part comes with a warranty, yet more and more patients are getting these implants installed in their bodies.
To help us understand what patients really need, we’ve asked thousands of people with artificial hips and knees to tell us what they expect from a good warranty. Now, we’ve started asking orthopedic surgeons who implant these hip and knee devices what they think about our warranty idea. As experts in their field, we think they’d give us some good input. A surgeon in Florida shared his thoughts on warranties in a guest blog post. Some orthopedic surgeons in Washington state had helpful comments, with several stating an interest in the idea. And a researcher who has analyzed hip and knee implants retrieved from patients over the past 30 years reached out to us with a very useful perspective on the issue.
Full article here Docs for Hip and Knee Warranties? | Safe Patient Project.
Much as I would like to see this happen I do not think it is feasible option, unless you can get a warranty for the way it was installed (inserted). I am sure some problems arise due to the wrong size of prosthesis being put it and it could be a surgical problem rather than an equipment problem.
There appears to be no guarantee when you go to a surgeon of the quality of their surgery and it is very hard to combat this problem. Trying to get evidence is almost impossible and unless you have a lot of resources you would never win.
Its like when you buy a new car and it is a lemon – how many people manage to get a good outcome – very few.
I am feeling more and more dejected about the metal on metal problem. Fancy thinking we do it for the monetary gain. What good is money without your health, mobility etc., We are all being put on hold, waiting till we are dead when Johnson and Johnson can heave a sigh of relief and cross us off their books. How many spouses will go ahead and sue for their partners early demise and for the quality of life they have had over the preceding years.
I could get on my high horse about the whole sorry affair, but nothing seems to do any good. Please do not buy ANY Johnson and Johnson products – kitchen cleaners, face and body creams etc.,
A medical device that receives PMA ( pre-market approval ) from the FDA, then it most certainly should have a warranty. The only exceptions should be the device was improperly implanted or the patient did not follow post OP rules during the healing time as set forth by the physician and manufacturer.
Howard Sadwin
I agree with your comments and thought afterwards I should have added that. I know some fellow hippies (not the mom ones) who think its clever to do things they have been told not to do. Then they wonder why things go wrong. How will it ever be possible to prove that the surgeon put it in wrong, or put in the wrong size. Most people just say, Oh it was just one of those things and will never blame their surgeon.
I am frustrated and fed up by the whole thing and why doctors went ahead and used MOM hips after there was doubt in 2004 I will never know. Think Depuy and varioius other companies are just waiting for us to drop off our perch and the problem will slowly go away. I blame everyone (that is my present mood). All so frustrating.