Johnson & Johnson and its DePuy Orthopaedics subsidiary, the world’s second-largest manufacturer of artificial knee implants are exposed to personal injury and product liability lawsuits over claims involving design problems with the Attune knee replacement device.
According to Robert Long from Kentucky, his Attune knee replacement device was defective and caused loosening of the tibial baseplate and the need for painful revision surgery. Long, filed his knee injury complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
Long claims that all of his injuries and complications were caused by the defective design, lack of adequate warnings, and unreasonably dangerous character of the Attune system.
Long further alleges that the manufacturers knew, or should have known, that there were problems with the design of the knee replacement system, yet continued to market and sell the knee components anyway, putting him and others at risk with the use of the Attune system.
Long had a right total knee replacement surgery in early 2015, with the DePuy Attune knee implants. The Attune knee replacement device is composed of a fixed tibial insert and fixed tibial baseplate. Shortly after the knee replacement surgery, Long began to experience severe knee pain, knee instability and trouble walking.
His doctors found aseptic loosening of the tibial baseplate, and Long had knee revision surgery two years later to have the device replaced.
What is the DePuy Synthes Attune Knee system?
The DePuy Synthes Attune Knee system was approved by the FDA for sale in 2010 via the 510(k) substantially equivalent approval process, as a replacement option for patients who are afflicted with knee arthritis, injury, or excessive wear and tear.
What is the problem with the DePuy Synthes Attune Knee system?
Many experts have noted serious post-marketing adverse event reports with the DePuy Synthes Attune Knee system. As of June 2017, the FDA has already about 1,400 reports involving failure with DePuy Attune knee replacements, including at least 633 cases where individuals have already required revision surgery.
Medical study found early failures in the DePuy Attune knee replacements
In the Journal of Knee Surgery, researchers found an increase in DePuy Attune knee loosening and failures related to the implant-cement interface.
DePuy Attune knee replacement lawsuits
DePuy Attune knee lawsuits claim that the key reason for the early knee implant failure is mechanical loosening, which is caused by the failure of the bond between the tibial baseplate and the implant-cement surface. The lawsuits claim that when the loosening happens, the knee implant device can disconnect from the existing bone, resulting in implant failure.
Injuries include DePuy knee replacement tibial baseplate loosening which leads to pain, infection, inflammation, and bone or muscle damage.
Shezad Malik is an Internal Medicine and Cardiology specialist, a Texas Medical Doctor (retired) and Defective Medical Device and Dangerous Drug Attorney. Dr. Shezad Malik Law Firm has offices based in Fort Worth and Dallas and represents people who have suffered catastrophic and serious personal injuries including wrongful death, caused by the negligence or recklessness of others.
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