Metal-on-Metal Hips Lawsuit

History of the Case

The idea of replacing a complex joint, like a hip, is not really new. Before they attempted replacement procedures, doctors either amputated the affected limb or performed “excision,” removing the head and neck of the femur completely. Patients recovered some mobility, but lacked stability. The first recognizable hip replacement was performed by Professor Themistocles Glück in Germany in 1891. The material used to create the ball and socket of the hip in these early attempts was ivory.

In 1925, American surgeon Marius Smith-Petersen developed a glass hip joint, which fit over the femoral head to provide a smooth surface for movement. Despite the fact that glass is a biocompatible material, the glass hip was not strong enough to withstand the forces going through the joint, and it shattered.

In 1938, London surgeon Phillip Wiles performed the first successful total-hip replacement, using a stainless steel joint that was attached to bone with bolts and screws. The problem with this device was that these screws and bolts tended to come loose over time.

The first doctor to use a metal-on-metal prosthesis on a regular basis was an English surgeon named George McKee. Metal-on-metal was the common type of prosthesis used until the mid-1970s, when concerns over metallosis emerged. Metallosis occurs when wear and tear on the metal joint generates metal ions that can cause tissue and organ damage. Metal ions are also a theoretical carcinogen, a cancer-causing substance.

The fall of metal-on-metal hip joints gave rise to the popularity of polyethylene-based implants. Metal-on-polyethylene prostheses became the standard in the late 1970s, though there was some concern about them. The primary concern regarding these hybrid prostheses was polyethylene debris, which tends to destroy the bone tissue by the release of cytokines and proteolytic enzymes, ultimately leading to implant failure.

Ceramic-on-ceramic hip implants were first introduced by a French surgeon, Pierre Boutin, in 1970. Ceramic-on-ceramic implants became popular in central Europe, eventually accounting for about half of the hip replacements in the region. But, in spite of their Continental popularity, these implants were rarely used in the U.S. and U.K. The benefits of ceramic-on-ceramic bearings are their high level of hardness, scratch resistance, and the inert nature of any debris.

Injuries Related to Product

• Injuries
• Metal poisoning (metallosis)
• Hip dislocation
• Loosening
• Tissue damage
• Implant failure
• Additional surgeries