In 2005, the Journey BCS TKA system was introduced to the medical field, “designed” to increase stability to the inside posterior portion of the knee while simultaneously improving normal knee function. These implants were advertised to closely replicate the movement of the native knee in range of motion and load bearing qualities that would improve upon previous designs that only offered a more limited range of motion. However, the Journey I and II implants have come under scrutiny by several studies since their initial implementation. One study in 2014 found that the Journey I implant causes greater movement in the tibia than a normal knee’s movement. All of this movement puts much more consistent force onto the tibia, causing implant failure and fractures to the tibia itself. Subsequent studies confirmed this failure similarly in the Journey II implants as well, causing smooth fractures from the excessive force placed on the brittle supplementary hardware in the tibia.

In a case report published in 2021, it has been concluded that any implant designed similarly to the Journey I and II BCS will suffer from similar issues related to tibial instability, due to the more posterior placement of the implant. This posterior placement consistently provides negative results for those who receive the implant, including devastating replacement failures which lead to further injuries to the tibia and regularly require additional surgery and medical care to treat. Not only do patients who suffer from these implant failures have to endure the pain of the hardware breakage, but they then have to undergo a painful and time consuming secondary surgery to remove the debris from this failure and replace their original implant. These failures have been unprecedented in the medical community, with only a handful of reported failures of previous models of total knee arthroplasties that were caused by impingements to the outside of the knee, which accelerated wear and tear past what would be normally expected.

In comparison, case studies of the Journey I and II total knee arthroplasties showed a mere four years of use in certain patients before failure was reported, usually happening while the patient was performing squats or in a crouching position. These hardware failures did not happen to patients with a history of trauma to the knee post-surgery, either. With the flaws in the entire design of the Journey I and II BCS’s, patients were set up for these failures from the start, regardless of their medical history, or how “careful” they were with what should have been an effective, safe total knee arthroplasty meant to restore the complete function of the knee. Individuals who were given the Journey I and II implants were told by their doctors that this model was the “cutting edge” of total knee replacement science and that the design was meant to mimic that of a brand new, native knee. This could not have been further from the truth, with the flaws in the design of the Journey I and II causing failures almost immediately post-operation.

If you have been affected by the Journey I and II total knee arthroplasty implants, you may be entitled to compensation for the pain and suffering that you have had to endure as a result of these false claims of safety and the manufacturer’s misleading of the medical community as to their effectiveness. It’s imperative that action is taken now to hold this manufacturer accountable for the falsities to their claims of safety, to prevent others from suffering the same fate of failed knee replacement hardware and further medical issues and surgeries that may be required to fix these failures.

Please call us today for more information and to see if you qualify for representation by McGartland Law Firm. Don’t wait, let’s get you on the path of justice and healing today.

Michael McGartland is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He handles negligence-related injuries, especially related to product liability.

Over the course of his career, Mr. McGartland’s firm has recovered over $1 billion dollars in verdicts and settlements.

Attorney McGartland is licensed in Texas, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

On February 2nd, 2023, Global Pharma Healthcare made an announcement through the FDA that their brands of artificial tears, EzriCare & Delsam Pharma, are being voluntarily recalled by the manufacturing company. EzriCare and Delsam Pharma’s artificial tear solutions have been historically used as an artificial eye lubricant to assist in relieving symptoms of dry, itchy, and irritated eyes caused by a wide range of symptoms, such as wind and sun irritation, allergies, and general eye discomfort. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating 55 reports of infections that have likely stemmed from using these products across 12 different states. According to the announcement made on February 2nd, “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alerted FDA to an investigation of a multi-state cluster of Verona Integron-mediated Metallo-β-lactamase (VIM)- and Guiana-Extended Spectrum-β- Lactamase (GES)- producing carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (VIM-GES- CRPA) infections possibly manufactured by Global Pharma Healthcare” (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2023.) 

The contamination of these products has led to multiple reports of eye infections, urinary tract infections, permanent vision loss, respiratory tract infections, and one reported death due to sepsis.

EzriCare’s products are advertised as “preservative free”, making these tear solutions a habitable environment for bacteria growth, and testing of opened EzriCare bottles confirmed the presence of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa bacteria, which happen to be resistant to a broad spectrum of antibiotics currently in use to fight bacterial infections. Pseudomonas Aeruginosa is typically contracted in a healthcare setting such as a hospital or a doctor’s office, and these infections can be quite serious or even fatal due to the resistant nature of these bacteria which have become increasingly prevalent and more difficult to treat with current antibiotics available. In 2017 alone, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa strains caused more than 32,000 infections in the United States and caused an estimated 2,700 deaths in the United States in hospitalized patients. 

EzriCare products have been distributed nationwide through online sales, and at this time it is unknown how far-reaching the potential bacterial contamination of these products has become. Global Pharma Healthcare, the manufacturer of the potentially contaminated EzriCare and Delsam Pharma products, has notified the distributors of these products and is currently requesting that any wholesalers, retailers, and customers who have the recalled products should immediately stop use and discontinue their sales. Consumers of these products who have experienced adverse reactions such as infections of the eye, or any infections involving Pseudomonas Aeruginosa are encouraged to report these occurrences to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program as soon as possible to aid in the investigation of the outbreak.

We take cases from injury victims all over the U.S. by working with attorneys in every state, giving you the benefit of our legal experience with the total convenience of keeping your case at home. No matter where you live or where your injury occurred, we can fight for your rights to maximum compensation for your lost wages, medical bills, and other injury costs. Call or email us today to speak with a legal representative about your case.