The possibility of being permanently confined in a wheelchair is now being faced by a man from Philadelphia, leading news reports say, after he underwent hip revision surgery. The man filed a complaint in the United States District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia with claims against Johnson & Johnson’s DePuy Orthopaedics. The plaintiff has had a hip revision done to replace the damaged hip implant.


However, he was informed thereafter that he might not be able to walk properly and may be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Now he is claiming that the manufacturer is liable of the damages done by its devices and is raring to receive payment for damages.

 

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Pinnacle Plaintiff Sues DePuy, Faces Confinement to Wheelchair From Injuries

_A study by Cecelia Tiemann shows that more than one million skeletal fractures occur annually in the U.S. About 300,000 of these are hip fractures that may lead to hip pains which may trigger patients to undergo hip implant surgery such as Depuy pinnacle hip implant. Johnson & Johnson’s third quarter earnings report states about up to 560 DePuy pinnacle  lawsuits have landed in courts for litigation.

Hip implant surgery is defined by MedlinePlus as a hip implant surgery solution for people with severe hip damage. During hip implant surgery, the surgeon pulls out the damaged cartilage and bone from the patient’s hip joint and positions into place new, man-made parts. The surgery takes away the hip pains, revitalizes the patient’s hip joint to work well and increases the capacity to support mobility.

An estimated number of hip fractures will continue to rise worldwide from 1.7 million in 1990 to 6.3 million by 2050, according to World Health Organization. Moreover, what most people once thought were the answers to treating and/or preventing osteoporosis have been out in the  open.

The causes of osteoporosis may develop from previous history of fracture after age 50, decrease in bone mass, post-menopause, small frame and thin, family history of osteoporosis, vitamin D deficiency, low calcium intake, inactive lifestyle, cigarette smoking, use of certain medications, low testosterone in men and overuse of alcohol and caffeine, Tiemann says in her research.

To prevent a person from developing osteoporosis, three ways were being highly recommended. First is to maintain balanced meals, including fats, carbohydrates and proteins along with calcium and vitamin D supplementation. Doing exercise comes next in the list which is considered as a very effective way of stopping and even reversing osteoporosis. Third and last is sunlight in safe doses which has also been shown to benefit bone health from the synthesis of vitamin D in the skin.

The eHow health website also mentions three effective exercises that can avoid a person from getting osteoporosis these are the  strength training which includes extensions, squats and bicep curls. Doing a variation of exercises that may encourage well-balanced muscle development and enhances coordination and balance. Strength training exercises protect the bones against osteoporosis and help maintain a healthy skeletal system and an active lifestyle. Second on the  list is the  aerobic exercise which is beneficial for the hearth and the over-all fitness. Osteoporosis symptoms can be prevented through this process. Last on the list is the is the flexibility exercises which helps prevent osteoporosis by moving the joints over a chock-full choice of motion.

The good news is that with the natural methods of handling bone injury mentioned above, men and women can take more accountability for their bone condition and look headlong to a healthier quality of being. The DePuy Pinnacle Lawsuit  can be avoided by patients who are having independent living free from  the risk of having an artificial hip joints through a hip implant surgery.

URL REFERENCES:
 
nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hipreplacement.html
ezinearticles.com/?expert=Cecelia_Tiemann
ehow.com/way_5616642_exercises-reverse-osteoporosis.html

The thigh bone meets the pelvis bone at the hips. The primary function of the hips is to support the weight of the body while standing or moving. This clearly shows how important they are for the body. For this reason, keeping it healthy is part of our duty. Of course, we cannot injuries from happening. Hip replacement surgery is one of the worst thing it could lead to|. Did you know that there are injuries resulting from hip replacement surgery? Due to many causes, these injuries may happen anytime.
 
Injuries resulting from hip replacement are important. However, we do not have control over it because we are non-medical people. Being informed about hip injuries where we can do something in terms of prevention is the best thing we can have. Let’s take a look at common hip injuries that may affect you.
 
Bursitis
 
Bursitis happens when one of the bursa sacs, which protects and cushion the joint, gets inflamed. There are many reasons why this can happen, either from arthritis or from an injury or infection, medical research says. Movements of the joint is being limited by this condition which can result to partial immobility.
 
Early treatment for bursitis involves the use of ice, getting enough rest, and taking in medicine for pain and swelling.
 
Dislocations
 
When there is dislocation, the joint is forced to the end of the bones and is out of position. Falls are the number one reason why this can happen resulting to immobility. It is easy to spot a dislocated joint because it is usually swollen and visibly out of place.
 
Treatment for dislocated joints depends on which joint was affected. Manipulations to reposition your bones, taking in of medicine, and using a splint or sling normally happens.
 
Fractures
 
Fractures happen when bones get broken. Normally, they are caused by injuries resulting from accidents but reasons like osteoporosis can happen which is a condition where weakening of the bones happen. When a fracture is present, out-of-place or misshapen limb or joint, swelling, bruising or bleeding, intense pain, numbness and tingling, and limited mobility or inability to move a limb are likely to happen.
 
Immediate medical attention is how fractures will be treated as a doctor is needed in keeping the bones in place.

Aside from fractures, it is evident that common hip injuries can be immediately treated in the comforts of the home. If we do not do what we can to control it, medical operations can be an option. As would people filing a Pinnacle lawsuit do, the public should be informed about operations resulting in injuries and who made the mistake in order to determine who would be answerable.

References:

nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hipinjuriesanddisorders.html
nytimes.com/interactive/2011/10/01/business/injury-from-metal-debris-in-artificial-hips.html?ref=health

With the breakthroughs in technology, innovations are introduced and that includes metal-on-metal implants. Hip implants are among one of the pioneers in the field that can benefit those with severe hip problems especially the elderly. With hip deterioration, the need to find a prosthetic device for the diseased hip joints that could withstand the wear and tear overtime is on the rise. The goal is to make devices that can be permanent to avoid revision surgery hence saving time, money and effort. However, errors cannot be avoided like the issues the DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement system is facing. In fact, you may want to look at this DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement system report made by the Food and Drug Administration.

What is a Metal-on-metal Hip Device?

Metal-on-metal Hip Device is among one of the 4 device options currently available in the US for total hip replacement. The device is made up of metal with the ball, stem and shell as parts. Titanium and Cobalt-chrome are two most commonly used metals in metal-on-metal devices. There is no report on which metal is better but cobalt-chrome is known to be used for almost 65 years on orthopaedic devices with less reports of allergies and/or rejections. When it was first introduced in the US in 2002, it was considered as a huge breakthrough. Cobalt-chrome was the metal used in making the firstmetal-on-metal device.

Some companies like DePuy designed their metal-on-metal device to have an appeal on the youth and the active because of the durability.

Advantages of a Metal-on-metal Hip Device

Metal-on-metal devices are considered the most durable and can last for a long time if given proper care. Metal-on-metal device has  a number of advantages such as the following:

• Greater freedom of activity
• Less chances of being dislocated
•  Less total material removed (compared to other devices) when there is friction between the ball and socket
• Believed to last a relative longer period of time (at least 15 years) so a revision surgery or another hip replacement won’t be necessary
  

Concerns on Metal-on-metal Devices

Though it has benefits, the cons were also raised regarding metal-on-metal devices because some can do harm to the individual. Among the concerns raised is the development of metal toxicity as a result of metal particles wearing off due to friction upon movement. Over time, the metal particles can be a possible cause of injury to the bone and the tissues around and this phenomenon is called adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR). This phenomenon may be the cause of loosening of the implants which may need revision surgery. Such reports were made by individuals who filed a DePuy Pinnacle Lawsuit.

References:
www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfMAUDE/detail.cfm?mdrfoi__id=1933948
www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfMAUDE/detail.cfm?mdrfoi__id=1932627
www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfMAUDE/detail.cfm?mdrfoi__id=1823546
www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/ImplantsandProsthetics/MetalonMetalHipImplants/default.htm
www.hopkinsbayview.org/jointeffort/questionsabouthipreplacement.html