Knee replacement surgery is becoming more and more common in the United States in adults over 50 years old. It’s estimated that there are over 4.7 million Americans with knee replacements. This number is anticipated to grow dramatically in upcoming years largely due to increases in osteoarthritis in our aging population. The vast majority of knee replacement patients experience striking levels of pain relief after surgery, and 80 percent of knee replacement devices last twenty years. However, for some patients, the knee replacement device can result in increased pain and discomfort and decreased mobility.
The DePuy Synthes Attune® knee replacement device is one of the devices facing scrutiny in the healthcare community as patients are reporting device failure, often within months of the surgery. Many of the failures are speculated to be related to the loosening of the tibial baseplate in the artificial knee. It appears that the bonding agent fails to adhere to the bone. A recent study in The Journal of Knee Surgery brought to light some of these concerns after evaluating data from three hospitals and from the MAUDE database. The Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database collects medical device reports submitted to the FDA by mandatory reporters including manufacturers, importers and device user facilities, and voluntary reporters such as health care professionals, patients and consumers.
Patients who have had knee replacement surgery and are experiencing unusual pain should be aware of the following complications associated with the Attune® knee:
- Instability of the knee when standing
- Swelling around the knee
- Warmth or heat in the knee well after surgery
- Joint pain
- Decreased range of motion
- Infection
If you are concerned about your knee replacement you should immediately see a doctor. If there is in fact loosening of the knee replacement, you may require revision surgery to remove or replace the device.
DePuy Orthopaedics, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson manufactures the Attune® Knee System. It was approved in 2010 by the FDA. DePuy Orthopaedics is facing scrutiny and litigation over the Pinnacle® metal-on-metal hip implants that were eventually recalled in 2010 after patients complained of complications with the devices. Approximately 9000 lawsuits were filed by patients who suffered injuries from the Pinnacle® hip implants.
If you or a family member has experienced severe pain, decreased mobility and or revision surgery after knee replacement surgery, you may want to contact an attorney who handles product liability and medical device cases. Brett Oppenheimer has experience in pharmaceutical product liability, medical device litigation and medical malpractice cases and is happy to consult with you to help answer your questions and determine if you have a case to pursue. Please contact Brett H. Oppenheimer, PLLC, at brett@bluegrassinjury.com to discuss your case today.