[guide.chat] bad hip replacements
- From: vanessa <qwerty1234567a@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "GUIDE CHAT" <guide.chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:58:14 -0000
Poisonous hip implants 'putting thousands of British patients at risk' as
medical watchdog launches investigation
Medical regulators forced to take 'prompt action' over safety concerns
Metal hip implants could put more than 30,000 patients at risk of poisoning
Last updated at 9:23 AM on 30th January 2012
Agony: Penny Brown, 51, is taking legal action against DePuy after her implant
wore out leaving her disabled
Hip replacements fitted in tens of thousands of patients are being investigated
amid fears they may be poisoning them.
Medical regulators are considering new evidence about ?metal on metal? implants
disintegrating, destroying muscle tissue and leaking metal into the bloodstream.
It comes as surgeons say that implants which have now been recalled have a
failure rate of nearly 50 per cent after six years.
Some patients, however, may be unaware of the dangers.
Hip replacements, and less drastic hip resurfacing, usually offer a patient a
95 per cent chance of pain-free mobility for ten to 15 years.
But problems can occur with all-metal implants ? used on 40,000 patients ? when
friction between the components causes tiny metal fragments to break off.
In 2010, two hip implants made by company DePuy were withdrawn from the market
after concerns about their safety.
These accounted for around 10,000 of the metal on metal hips fitted in the UK
since 2003.
Lawyers representing hundreds of patients who were given the DePuy ASR ? used
in hip resurfacing ? and ASR XL ? used in a full replacement ? are preparing
compensation claims which could run into six figures.
All patients with these products are advised to see a doctor to check levels of
cobalt and chromium in their blood and whether they have any muscle damage.
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It is unclear if all patients are aware of the risks. The British Orthopaedic
Association suggested in a letter to surgeons that only 41 per cent had applied
to be reimbursed for their treatment by DePuy.
Doctors say metal fragments could be toxic to the kidneys, and can also inflame
tissue around the bone, destroying muscle.
Risk: Metal hip replacements by DePuy have already been recalled by hospitals
for tests
Risk: Metal hip replacements by DePuy have already been recalled by hospitals
for tests
Metal hips: Concerns are growing that small particles of metal in these devices
could poison patients
Metal hips: Concerns are growing that small particles of metal in these devices
could poison patients
HIP IMPLANTS Q & A
What is a metal on metal implant?
Traditional hip replacements ? carried out since the 1950s ? used a metal ball
and a plastic socket. In the 1990s, however, metal on metal types became
popular.
In these products both the femoral ball, which sits on top of the leg, and the
acetabular socket it fits into which is attached to the hip, are made of metal.
It was thought these could cope with more wear and tear.
Around 40,000 have them and they are still being fitted.
What is the concern?
In 2010, regulators became worried about the number of patients needing their
operations redone because their muscle tissue had been damaged by the metal on
metal hips.
It turned out tiny metal particles were getting into the blood, poisoning it
and leaving patients in pain and with lasting damage to tissue. If the problem
is not identified early enough, further operations can be more difficult.
Are all MoM hips dangerous?
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency ordered two types of
hip implant manufactured by DePuy to be taken off the market.
Surgeons say their failure rate could be 50 per cent after just six years for
full hip replacements, far higher than previously thought. Other metal on metal
implants ? of which the most popular is the DePuy Pinnacle ? may also have
higher than average failure rates, but there is not enough evidence yet to be
sure.
What should I do if I have one?
If you have a DePuy ASR or ASR XL implant or do not know whether you do, you
are advised to see your doctor and ask for a blood test to check the metal
level, even if you are not experiencing any pain.
If you have another brand of metal on metal implant you are advised not to
panic, but to have an annual check-up for five years. There is a website for
ASR patients at asrrecall.depuy.com. DePuy has a helpline on 0800 2794865.
What is happening now?
The MHRA is drawing up a new alert for everyone with a metal on metal implant
because surgeons fear the devices are more dangerous than had been appreciated.
It is likely to be stronger than the existing warning. It also appears some
patients with recalled implants may not be aware of the risks.
Surgeons in the North East have compiled figures for 500 patients with DePuy
implants showing a failure rate of up to 35 per cent after four years and 49
per cent after six years for full hip replacements.
Tony Nargol, an orthopaedic surgeon at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust,
said: ?If some patients haven?t been told, that is appalling. We have been
saying to the world that these implants are wearing out and there could be
problems ahead, but we need to ensure the public gets the message.?
He said doctors should give all patients with an ASR ? which stands for
articular surface replacement ? a blood test, take a sample from the liquid
around their joint and have an ultrasound to check for damage.
Surgeons from Belfast and Cardiff also noted high failure rates for DePuy. The
failure rate from other metal on metal devices can be as high as 15 per cent
and patients are advised to have annual check-ups for five years.
IT consultant Penny Brown, 51, had a DePuy ASR resurfacing implant after years
of gymnastics and skiing left her with a painful right hip. She was so pleased
with the results, she agreed to help promote DePuy?s services.
Eight years later, however, she is taking legal action after her implant wore
out and left the surrounding tissue full of debris.
It has since been removed. She said: ?I cannot sit or stand for long periods
and I?m a shadow of my former self. I?m no longer the hard working, vivacious
woman I used to be and would still be if I had not had this implant.?
Metal on metal replacements became popular in the 1990s as they were thought to
be more resilient than metal and plastic.
Bozena Michalowska of law firm Leigh Day, which is representing more than 300
victims, said patients may be entitled to compensation.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency yesterday said it was
consulting clinical experts on drawing up new guidance.
A spokesman said it had taken ?prompt action? over safety fears but added that
most people with metal on metal replacements were at ?low risk of developing
serious problems?.
A spokesman for DePuy, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, said the firm was
working to support patients and reimbuse victims and doctors.
He said figures from the National Joint Register showed a failure rate of 17
per cent for ASR replacements after five years.
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