For those of us who have reached a certain age, it becomes more and more obvious each day that our bodies are wearing out from overuse. For some, it can become painfully obvious. As we begin to live longer, richer lives, body parts that were designed to do the hard work of forty years are now being tested for 70, 80 or even 90 years.
Joints that were designed to work for forty years are now being called upon to operate for much longer. For many patients, this means that a joint replacement is needed, such as a hip replacement. If you know someone who has had a hip replacement, or have had one yourself, read on to find out more information about a recall of the Zimmer hip implant.
When we age, parts of our body that have been serving us well for years begin to slow and ache, due to years of use and abuse. This is, of course, a natural part of aging. But for many older Americans, the pain in their hips becomes unbearable, so bad in fact that they cannot walk or stand for long periods. This means that they are unable to care for themselves properly, or enjoy the activities they once loves. It is for these patients that the Zimmer hip implant was invented. With a proper hip replacement, patients such as these can become active again, meaning that they can lead longer, healthier lives.
For an older patient, in their late 60′s or early 70′s, a hip replacement can be a great new lease on life, allowing them to do their own errands, care for themselves, and enjoy life again. Because the replacement is mechanical, it also needs to be replaced, usually within ten years of implantation. For the oldest patients, this is no concern, but for a patient in their 50′s or early 60′s, it’s likely that they will live much longer than that 10 years, and face the prospect of another difficult surgery. The Zimmer hip implant was marketed to these patients with the promise that it was long lasting, and wouldn’t need replacement.
Unfortunately, the claim that the Zimmer hip implant is long lasting have not held true. In fact, at one test clinic, the implants failed in 12 percent of patients within the first two years. This is an astounding failure rate, and much worse than that of conventional replacements. It also means that for a young patient, given this implant with the promise of less likely future surgery, they in fact faced immediate further surgery, with the prospect of even more in the future!
The Zimmer Durom Company denies that their Zimmer hip implant is prone to failure. But in their internal testing, seven percent of patients needed the replacement replaced within two years. This is still an astounding rate of failure. It was enough for the company to pull the product in July 2008. If you have had a hip replacement, ask your doctor if it’s a Zimmer hip implant. If it was, and you have problems, you could be able to sue.
