Knee and Hip Replacements Have High Failure Rate

 Posted on February 18, 2014 in Defective Medical Devices

According to Science Daily, “hundreds of thousands of hip and knee replacement surgeries are performed in the United States each year.” While these procedures are generally very effective at reducing pain and restoring mobility, there is a high rate of failure of these devices. There is such a high rate of failure, in fact, that Dr. Geoffrey Westrich told Science Daily that he's “seen a sharp increase in the number of people coming in for a second hip or knee replacement, called a revision surgery.” These devices are prone to failure so often that people seeking revision surgery is nothing out of the ordinary. Considering the amount of pain and suffering and general immobility that generally accompanies a replacement surgery like this, the high rate of revision surgery is alarming.

According to Dr. Westrich there are several things a patient who has undergone a hip or knee replacement should look for to ensure that he or she does not need a revision surgery. These include, but are not limited to:

• A loosening of the implant;
• A fracture;
• Dislocation;
• Infection;
• Implant recall.

“Patients should be aware of warning signs that there may be a problem, such as pain that comes on suddenly or trouble getting around,” Dr. Westrich told Science Daily. Revision surgeries have the potential to be much more complicated than initial operations, and should not be taken lightly.

The good news, according to a different Science Daily article, is that a study published last month in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases found that “hormone replacement therapy taken regularly for six months after a knee or hip replacement seems to cut the risk of repeat surgery by around 40 percent.”

Regardless, if you need revision surgery due to a faulty hip or knee replacement in Illinois, you may be eligible for compensation. Contact an attorney from the Law Offices of Newland & Newland for a consultation today.