Smith & Nephew Knee Replacement Defect Lawsuits

Our lawyers are investigating knee replacement lawsuits against Smith & Nephew.

These knee replacements have been on the market for some time. The reason for the lawsuits is simply: the Smith & Nephew knee replacements are simply failing at an unacceptable rate. These were supposed to be knee replacements that would last for 10 to 20 years. Patients who have these devices implanted may be entitled to revision surgery, medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering damages.

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Smith & Nephew

Smith & Nephew is a company that started with a pharmacy in England in 1856, eventually growing into an international company that develops orthopedic medical devices, wound-care treatments, and endoscopy devices. Smith & Nephew is no stranger to defective knee implants—in September 2003 it recalled its cementless Oxinium Profix II and Oxinium Genesis II knee implants, which had a tendency to come loose and require corrective surgery.

Defective Knee Replacements

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons conducted a study evaluating 36 devices implanted in 32 patients from January 2008 to January 2009. Eight patients had persistent knee pain well after the surgeries, and only 19% of patients were completely pain-free. Those patients with significant problems had the surgery redone in the form of a total knee replacement. During that second surgery, the baseplate was found to be loose or fractured in all patients. The AAOS reported:

Implantation of the Deuce BKA provides unreliable pain relief and functional results. A survival rate of 86% at 21 months is unacceptable in comparison to reported results of TKA. We report one catastrophically failed device in our series of 36 cases.

Defective Parts

• Smith & Nephew Journey-Deuce Uni Tibial Baseplates: Recalled in 2010 (40,000 units recalled)

The baseplate (circled in red) rests on the tibia (the bottom leg bone), and attaches to the knee replacement hardware on the femur (the top leg bone). Because these baseplates are breaking, the entire knee replacement can become compromised and unstable.

Symptoms

Patients with defective Smith & Nephew knee replacements may experience pain and limited range of motion. Most patients will require additional surgery to repair the damage.

Status of Smith & Nephew Knee Replacement Lawsuits

Individual lawsuits are being filed against Smith & Nephew for their defective knee implants. There is no class action or MDL yet, but it is possible that plaintiffs will seek to combine many of these cases in a federal MDL as more are filed. Some of the claims plaintiffs’ attorneys are alleging include:

• Negligently manufacturing the knee replacements
• Strict product liability
• Failure to warn consumers and healthcare providers about the risks of the knee replacements
• Breach of warranty

What To Do If You Have A Defective Smith & Nephew Knee Replacement
If you believe you have a Smith & Nephew defective knee implant claim, contact our product liability lawyers at 1-800-553-8082, or click here for a free evaluation of your case.

More Information

• FDA Journey Knee Replacement Recall (Mar. 3, 2010) http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfRes/res.cfm?ID=88048