What to Do about Symptoms Indicating Problems with Stryker Hip Implants

What to Do about Symptoms Indicating Problems with Stryker Hip Implants

A separate post in this blog goes over Stryker’s voluntary recall of their Rejuvenate and ABG II hip implants. If you or a loved one received one of these implants as part of a hip replacement surgery, you should know what kinds of symptoms indicate that there may be problems with the implant(s).

Symptoms reported by patients include (but may not be limited to) hip pain, groin pain, difficulty walking/running, and general inflammation. The issues with the implants which may lead to these symptoms are their tendency to corrode. A degraded implant can release potentially toxic levels of heavy metals in to the body of the recipient, including cobalt, titanium and chromium.

If you have one of these implants—or are not sure if you have one—you should speak to your doctor as soon as possible. Your doctors and surgeons should be able to tell you if you received one of these implants; the information is normally kept as part of your medical records. Your doctor(s) can also help you determine whether the implant may be the reason for your problems or if you are at risk for problems with the implants in the future.

The problems can be difficult to find in some cases. The metals released into the system sometimes do not result in any symptoms until the surrounding tissue has suffered damage. Bone loss may even occur, and “pseudotumors” may develop. Your doctor should be able to find out if your implant is problematic by taking a “two-pronged approach” by taking x-rays of your reconstructed hip(s) and also an MRI or blood work to determine whether the heavy metals have entered your bloodstream. 

After you contact your doctor to discuss your best medical options, it is recommended that your next call be to an attorney experienced in helping patients having trouble with their Stryker implants.