Hip implant lawyers may have new grounds to sue medical device makers. Doctors have long been aware of health problems such as joint deterioration and inflammation caused by the break down of materials used in metal-on-metal (MoM) hip implants, but new research is uncovering an additional risk of brain damage associated with the implants. Researchers using newly improved imaging techniques are developing the ability to detect neurological damage caused by metal particles that leach into the blood stream as the metals deteriorate.
Dr. Kevin Kavanagh is Associate Editor of the Journal of Patient Safety and Chairman of the Board of Health Watch USA. He says highly toxic metal cobalt used to make the artificial joints can damage the areas of the brain that control memory, vision, personality and movement
Kavanagh recently said that better imaging and computer tools can now find and measure brain injury due to cobalt poisoning.
Many Potential Cases for Hip Implant Lawyers
According to Dr. Stephen Tower, an orthopaedic surgeon, the problem is widespread. Tower says that about 1.5 million patients have MoM hip implants. In addition, he says Doctors are not watching enough people for cobalt poisoning.
Hip implant lawyers have been busy with numerous recalls and lawsuits over the past several years. According to LawyersandSettlements.com, hip implant makers Accolade, Smith and Nephew, Depuy, Zimmer Biomet and Stryker have all recently been hit with lawsuits and recalls for defective manufacture or design.
A list of symptoms of cobalt toxicity can be found here: Medline Plus
Legal resources here: Findlaw
