DePuy Recall of ASR Hip Implant Announced for 93K Devices

Johnson and Johnson subsidiary DePuy Orthopaedics has officially announced its recall of two DePuy ASR hip replacement systems due an unreasonably high failure rate, which may have caused thousands of patients to experience pain and require a revision surgery for a second hip replacement. 

The DePuy ASR hip recall was reported on this site earlier this month, after information was posted on the FDA website. However, the company officially issued a press release last Thursday announcing the recall of DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing Systems and DePuy ASR XL Acetabular Systems, confirming that about 93,000 of the devices were sold for implant in hip patients.

According to information released by DePuy, new 2010 data from the National Joint Registry (NJR) of England and Wales shows that the ASR Hip Resurfacing System has a revision rate of approximately 12% and the ASR XL Acetabular System has a revision rate for 13%. Although those rates are across all sizes of the devices, the company noted that devices with head sizes smaller than 50 mm in diameter, and those implanted in female patients, were most likely to fail.

DePuy has recommended that patients with an ASR hip device see their surgeons for an evaluation, even if the hip implant does not seem to be causing a problem. 

The DePuy ASR is a metal-on-metal hip replacement system developed in 2005. Health care professionals have increasingly been warning about problems with metal-on-metal hip implants, which can shed metal particles into the body. The particles can damage soft tissue, cause inflammatory reactions and lead to bone loss.

DePuy has indicated that it intends to provide ASR hip settlements to cover reasonable and customary costs for monitoring and treatment, including revision surgeries, that are connected with the defective hip implant. However, product liability lawyers have recommended that individuals contact an attorney before accepting any compensation to make sure their rights are protected and that they receive all of the benefits and money they may be entitled to through a DePuy ASR hip recall lawsuit.

In recent months, a number of lawsuits over faulty DePuy ASR Cup implants have been filed. It is expected that the number of cases will continue to grow as Depuy ASR recall lawyers continue to investigate and review potential cases for individuals who have experienced problems and complications after hip replacement surgery involving the device.