Global orthopedic medical device company Wright Medical Technology, Inc., designs, manufactures, and markets the Wright Conserve family of hip implants. These implants have come under fire due to reports of complications like pain, instability, and premature loosening. All of these problems often require revision surgery.
Patients suffering injuries from the Wright Conserve family of hip products may want to consider a Wright Conserve hip lawsuit. Several of these cases have been filed by a Wright Conserve hip lawyer in federal courts across the nation.
Metal-on-Metal Hip Devices
The Wright Conserve family of hip replacement products includes the following:
- Conserve Femoral Surface Replacement
- Conserve Total A-Class Advanced Metal with BFH Technology Hip System
- Conserve Total Hip System with BFH Technology
- Conserve Plus Total Resurfacing Hip System
Concerns about these implants have revolved mostly around their metal design. Like other metal-on-metal hip implants, the Wright Conserve devices have been reported to shed shards of cobalt and chromium into the surrounding joint and tissue, potentially causing tissue death, bone damage, swelling, and even metal poisoning.
The Wright Conserve metal implant consists of a metal ball resting inside a metal acetabular cup, which then fits inside the hip socket. Both the ball and cup are made of metal, so during normal wear and tear, if the two components rub against each other incorrectly, shards of metal fragments may wear off. Other hip implants of similar design include the Zimmer Durom Cup and the DePuy ASR, which was withdrawn from the market in a 2010 ASR hip recall.
So Far No Wright Conserve Hip Recall
Despite the fact that hundreds of reports of problems linked to the Wright Conserve implants have been submitted to the FDA, Wright Medical Group has given no indication that it intends to implement a Wright Conserve hip recall. The company recalled a limited number of metal acetabular hip cups intended for use in the Conserve implants in 2004, but this recall concerned less than 100 components that did not meet the company’s product specifications.
Meanwhile, the FDA announced in late 2011 that it was reviewing the safety of metal-on-metal implants. Prior to that, in May 2011, the agency also required manufacturers to conduct additional surveillance studies to examine safety issues. As of yet, the FDA has not issued a Wright Conserve hip recall.
Critics note that both the Wright Conserve and the DePuy ASR hip devices were equipped with a thin shallow acetabular cup that lacks a liner, and that both have shown a tendency to cause premature failure and metallosis. A Wright Conserve hip lawyer may point out the similarities, noting that a Wright Conserve hip recall may be in order to better protect the public.
Each Federal Wright Conserve Hip Lawsuit Transferred to Georgia
Several scientific studies have indicated that metal-on-metal hip implants like the Wright Conserve devices are prone to a higher failure rate than metal-on-plastic or metal-on-ceramic implants. Researchers publishing in The Lancet in March 2012, for example, noted that all-metal hips were more likely to fail, and should not be used.
Meanwhile, on February 8, 2012, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation announced that each federal Wright Conserve hip lawsuit will be transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia for centralized pretrial proceedings. The Honorable William J. Duffey, Jr. will preside. This marked the third time that the panel had consolidated federal lawsuits involving metal-on-metal hips. DePuy Orthopaedics is defending lawsuits concerning the DePuy ASR in Ohio and DePuy Pinnacle implants in Texas.
A Wright Conserve Hip Lawyer Can Help
Complications from metal-on-metal hip implants like the Wright Conserve devices are not rare. Thousands of other plaintiffs have filed cases to seek compensation from companies that failed to adequately test their products before releasing them onto the market. The attorneys at Chaffin Luhana LLP will be happy to review your case and help you determine whether or not you may seek compensation in a Wright Conserve hip lawsuit. Call today for a free and confidential case evaluation at 1-888-480-1123.
