Depuy Hips – Symptoms of Loose Metal Debris

We have blogged extensively about the failure rate of DePuy’s ASR Hip Resurfacing System and ASR XL Acetabular Systems. These hip replacement systems are metal-on-metal monoblock devices made of chromium and cobalt. One of the major issues our clients and other injured individuals are facing is a rare condition known as metallosis or metal toxicity. This is due to design defects with the devices which cause the metal components to rub against each other and shed microscopic metal particles into the body.

Injuries from Depuy Hips are typically characterized by the deposition and build-up of metallic debris in the soft tissues of the body. According to resources, these metals can rub together creating debris, or ions, which can then be deposited directly into the systemic circulation from the defective femoral cup area and into the acetabulum – the lower part of the hip where blood vessels and nerves pass directly through.

One of the conditions that can result from metal debris entering the body is called metallosis. According to the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery metallosis is usually defined as aseptic fibrosis, local necrosis, or loosening of a device secondary to metallic corrosion and release of wear debris.

Metal toxicity is another term associated with injury from Depuy Hips. Metal toxicity occurs where the debris enter the blood stream. The side effects of chromium and cobalt metal toxicity can cause a wide range of problems including severe injury to organs and the brain.

Symptoms of metallosis and/or metal toxicity as it relates to hip implants may include

1. Damage to the nerves, tissues and muscles near the implant area
2. Rash that is a sign of dying tissue
3. Pain around the hip joint
4. Difficulty walking
5. Swelling around the implant area
6. Loosening where implant does not stay attached to the bone in the right position.
7. Fracture of the bone around the implant.
8. Dislocation, where the two parts of the implant that move against each other are no longer aligned.
9. Blood metal poisoning
10. Bone loss.
11. Chromium and cobalt toxicity has been linked to cancer.
12. Confusion
13. Headaches
14. Short-term memory loss, gastrointestinal upsets

If you or a loved one has received a DePuy’s ASR Hip Resurfacing System and ASR XL Acetabular Systems, it is imperative that you obtain the counsel of an experienced Depuy Hip personal injury attorney.