Wright Medical Technology, Inc., an orthopedic device company, designs, manufacturers, and markets the Wright Profemur hip implant. Though originally advertised as a longer-lasting, more durable implant, the Profemur has recently been linked to a number of complications, including fractures, premature loosening, and hip failure.
A number of patients implanted with the device have filed a Wright Profemur hip lawsuit, alleging the company failed to provide patients or physicians with adequate warnings concerning the risks.
Reports Indicate High Failure Rates
Public awareness of the problems with the Wright Profemur implant increased after a 2009 report by the Australian Orthopaedic Association. According to the report, which evaluated data from the Australian National Joint Replacement Registry, the Wright Profemur femoral stem had a high failure rate, requiring approximately 11.2 percent of all patients to go through revision surgery.
A Wright Profemur hip lawyer is likely to point to the design of the implant as the problem. The Wright Profemur total hip system has three components: a femoral head, modular neck, and femoral stem. Unlike other hip systems, the Wright Profemur features fixed stem lengths and interchangeable titanium necks to balance the leg length. The design was supposed to conserve bone mass and speed recovery; however, a Wright Profemur hip lawsuit, usually claims that the design makes the stem prone to bending and breaking.
Wright Profemur Hip Lawyer Notes Problematic Component
For example, a Wright Profemur hip lawsuit filed by a Phoenix man states that the titanium modular femoral neck fractured into several fragments that had to be removed during revision surgery. According to the complaint written by the man’s Wright Profemur hip lawyer, the titanium neck broke near the femoral stem, leaving a broken portion of the titanium neck wedged inside the stem.
The complaint also pointed out that research indicates modular neck adapters made from titanium alloy are more likely to corrode and fracture than those made from cobalt and chromium. Wright changed the material in the Profemur hip system modular necks to a cobalt chrome alloy in 2009, but took no action to warn the public of the change.
Plaintiffs File Wright Profemur Hip Lawsuit
Those patients who were implanted with the Wright Profemur device may experience symptoms like unusual or intense hip pain, difficulty standing or walking, loosening of the hip implant, and other complications requiring revision surgery. In addition to the risk of fractures, other patients have reported incidences of premature loosening, where the implant fails to attach to the hipbone. The FDA has received hundreds of reports of complications related to the Wright Profemur device.
A Wright Profemur Hip Lawyer Can Help
If you or a loved one has suffered complications from a Wright Profemur hip implant, the attorneys at Chaffin Luhana LLP may be able to help. Taking on a large corporation may seem daunting, but when a company fails to adequately test its product before release, it should be held responsible. A positive verdict in a Wright Conserve hip lawsuit may result in monetary compensation. Call today for a free and confidential case evaluation at 1-888-480-1123.
