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The company known as DePuy Orthopaedics is issuing a voluntary recall of its most well known hip replacement systems. By name, these are the ASR XL Acetabular Hip System and DePuy ASR™ Hip Resurfacing System. What is the story behind this surprising recall?

The DePuy recall was a voluntary recall of these hip replacement systems. The decision was made official after third party research found that the system had an unusually high failure rate. Since 2008, some individual patients have been reporting complications, and have been attributing their suffering to these faulty medical devices. DePuy lawsuit action has been taking place for the last several months.

According to attorneys representing injured patients, products manufactured from July 2003 and onward, may be unsafe. However, surgeries that took place before July 2003 would not be affected by the recall, nor would legal action be recommended. Some companies, doctors and associations are now reaching out to the community, particularly patients, and explaining the process, product and procedures, in order for patients to determine their risk.

While the number of DePuy lawsuits continues to grow, it is clear that this is a rare oversight by DePuy. DePuy usually does make quality products, and looks out for patient safety and health. Most ASR hip replacement surgeries have been successful thanks to products by DePuy. However, according to critics, it is clear to see from this DePuy recall, that the company failed to adequately test these products. Based on data from the National Joint Registry, the company decided to voluntarily pull selected systems from the market.

The DePuy ASR Hip Surfacing Replacement System was actually approved for use outside of the United States, whereas the ASR XL Acetabular System was available in the U.S. and throughout various countries. According to the research performed by the National Joint Registry, as many as 12% of patients (or 13%, depending on which device is in question) have suffered from the original hip replacement surgery because of the faulty system. These patients have had to schedule revision surgery, a costly and inconvenient procedure. Practically all patients are advised to seek additional testing and monitoring to ensure that the hip implant system is properly functioning

DePuy is actually a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. News of DePuy lawsuits comes as a surprise to many in the medical community, considering that the majority of hip replacement implants last for as long as 20 years. Unfortunately, some of these faulty systems have been breaking within five years of initial surgery.

If you have been affected by the DePuy hip replacement recall, you may be eligible for compensation. Talk to your doctor and find out when your surgery was performed and what objects were used. If the surgery was performed from July of 2003 or onward, and by way of a DePuy hip replacement system, you must come forward. Not only your compensation but also for your personal health. You may also want to speak with an attorney, whether you are a doctor or patient and learn more about this pressing issue.