DePuy Hip Implant Revision Surgery Commences

by | Mar 6, 2011

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has reported that the first revision surgeries for patients implanted with the recalled DePuy ASR Hip Replacement Systems have now commenced.
3,516 people in Ireland had received these faulty hip replacement systems between 2003 and their withdrawal from the market last year due to a “higher than expected” failure rate. Originally the HSE estimated that the failure rate in Ireland would be around 12% in total, however new research by the British Orthopaedic Association has suggested that the failure rate of DePuy ASR Hip Replacement Systems in Ireland could be as high as 49% within six years.
The HSE also claimed in their report that all affected patients had been contacted, and would have now had their initial recall appointment to x-ray the existing implant and have a blood sample taken to check for microscopic metallic wear debris. Some patients have also undergone MRI scans to check for neurological problems caused by cobaltism.
The vast majority of patients are not expected to need revision surgery straight away, but should continue to be monitored with annual reviews for the next five years. Clinical assessments and revision surgery are being provided free of charge, with hospitals recouping the cost of any treatment from DePuy Orthopaedics.
Questions are still being asked about why the HSE did not act sooner than August of last year to alert patients about the problems with the faulty DePuy hip replacement system, and legal test cases are still in progress in The States to determine whether DePuy should pay product liability compensation. The HSE also faces potential claims for medical negligence.

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