Side Effects Of The Rejuvenate Modular And ABG II Modular-Neck Hip Stems

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), over 20,000 patients received faulty models of artificial hips manufactured by Stryker Orthopaedics between 2008 and 2012. These recalled devices include the Rejuvenate Modular and ABG II Modular-Neck Hip Stems, both of which gained national attention as patients began to report side effects of the implants that ranged from moderate to severe—and in some cases, the effects changed the course of patients’ lives.

Side Effects of the Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II Hip Implants

Stryker Orthopaedics recalled its Rejuvenate and ABG II hip devices just months after issuing an urgent safety warning to alert doctors and hospitals of adverse health risks of the implants. The warning identified several potential health hazards of the two different metal-on-metal implants, including corrosion of the implant and fretting of the device, both of which can cause minute metal particles to be released into a patient’s body and bloodstream.

As a result, the Stryker Rejuvenate and ABG II hip implants have been linked to many more complications and injuries, including:

• Metal toxicity. The Rejuvenate and ABG II hip joints are made of chromium and cobalt, and the stems are coated with titanium. While the all-metal hip system was meant to add strength and stability, the parts can also wear against each other as the patient moves, causing metal particles to flake off where the neck meets the stem. Metallic debris can be released into the body, resulting in metallosis (metal poisoning), inflammation of the tissues, tissue and bone death, severe allergic reactions, and intense pain.
• Tissue damage. Large metal particles released from these devices may cause irritation in the hip joint or burrow into the surrounding tissues. Stryker’s own post-market research found that the Rejuvenate and ABG II devices had an increased rate of “adverse local tissue reaction” (ALTR) or swelling and inflammation in the tissues around the implant. Corrosion of the metal device inside the body can also lead to tissue death (necrosis), lengthening recovery times and resulting in permanent losses.
• Bone loss. Patients may suffer osteolysis, also known as bone loss, in several ways due to these defective implants. Firstly, the device itself may fail and cause the hip device to separate from the bone, breaking off bone fragments. Also, patients with a significant buildup of metal debris in the joint space may gradually wear away existing bone, making revision surgery more difficult.
• Neurological problems. Cobalt released into the bloodstream from a metal hip device can have many adverse effects on a patient, including heart problems, thyroid imbalance, neurological problems, and even blindness. Some studies suggest that metal ions can cause systemic damage throughout the body, affecting the spleen, liver, kidneys, and lymph nodes.

While any one of these complications can require revision surgery, patients are most likely to report pain and swelling in the hip joint. This pain typically becomes so debilitating that patients have difficulty sitting, standing, and walking. Metal poisoning is a particularly worrying condition, as it often presents very few symptoms until its later stages, when metal has permeated the body and caused severe bone and tissue damage. People who have had hip replacement surgery may be unaware that they received Stryker devices, as the hip component can be listed under a different product name in a patient’s medical record.

Our Firm Works for Victims of Stryker Hip Implant Injuries Nationwide

Our founder, Michael McGartland, is coordinating a nationwide litigation effort on behalf of victims injured by the Rejuvenate and ABG II devices. Our firm has helped victims recover millions of dollars from the makers of dangerous and defective products. We can determine which hip device you received and whether you are entitled to compensation for revision surgery, and you will owe us no legal fees unless we win your case. No matter which state you live in, the McGartland Law Firm can help. Call the number on this page to speak to one of our representatives today!