Wright Medical

Patients with the Wright Medical Conserve hip implant face an uncertain future. Designed to last for more than a decade, many patients have reported having serious medical complications only three years after the hip replacement surgery.

Wright Conserve Lawsuit Update

Wright Medical: $240 Million Metal-on-Metal Hip Settlement
On November 1, 2016, under a Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), Wright Medical Technology, Inc., reached a $240 million settlement agreement for nearly 1,300 product liability lawsuits filed by individuals nationwide over its metal-on-metal hip implants.

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$11 Million Awarded by Jury in Bellwether Conserve Hip Implant Trial. On November 24, 2015, after only two weeks of trial, a jury awarded bellwether plaintiff Robyn Christiansen $11 million dollars.


Problems with Wright Medical Conserve Hip Implants

In 2004, Wright Medical first recalled its Conserve line of metal on metal hip implants because of defects in the acetabular cups. This is the ball-shaped part of the implant that fits into a patient’s own hip socket.

Metal particles and shavings are the more recent problem for patients because two metal sides of the implant, the ball and the cup, rub together when the patient moves. This rubbing motion causes enough friction for the cobalt and the chromium metal to sheer off and make its way into the bloodstream and nearby muscle.

According to industry standards, hip implants should last approximately 15 years; however, a 2008 annual report issued by the Australian National Joint Replacement Registry showed that the Wright Profemur Z Hip had a cumulative revision rate of 11.2% at three years. This is more than 3 times the revision rate for comparable hips.


Fracturing of the Wright Medical Profemur Stem & Neck

Of major concern with the Wright Medical Profemur hip implant is the modular neck, which connects the ball with the stem that is implanted in the femur. The neck’s flexibility makes it too easy to bend, fracture, and break. These are extremely severe cases as the stem is typically firmly attached to the femur. When the neck fractures, often the entire stem will need to be removed from the bone, which can be a difficult process. Revision surgery is typically an emergency procedure.

The four Wright Medical Profemur stems using this modular neck design include:

  • Profemur Gladiator
  • Profemur Renaissance
  • Profemur TL
  • Profemur Z

Related Content

Hip Replacement Danger: Stem and Neck Fractures. More people are choosing to have a hip replacement to give them back their mobility, improve their ability to perform daily activities, and improve their quality of life. Read the Full Post.

Profemur News Update

FDA Recall: MicroPort Orthopedics PROFEMUR Modular Neck Hip Implant. The FDA announced a Class I Recall — the most serious type of recall — on yet another hip implant device. Read the Full Post.

MicroPort Orthopedics Inc. Acquires Wright Medical. In August 2013, MicroPort Orthopedics Inc. started manufacturing the Profemur hip implant when it acquired Wright Medical Group’s OrthoRecon business, which included its Profemur properties. The acquisition of Wright Medical Group’s OrthoRecon business, first announced in June 2013, was finalized in January 2014.


Considering Revision Surgery?

Thousands of people have had metal on metal hip replacements using the Conserve and Profemur systems. The products’ failures have resulted in painful revision surgeries to correct complications such as metallosis, severe pain, device failure, and device fractures.

Defective medical device lawsuits are complicated. The experienced attorneys at Nash & Franciskato Law Firm will help you build a case to obtain the compensation you deserve. Even if you don’t have any symptoms right now, it’s important to review your situation to make sure you protect your rights in the future.


Proven Results

We are a leading national law firm in the area of hip replacement litigation. Our attorneys have extensive experience handling hip replacement and knee replacement lawsuits, obtaining over $50 million in Collective Settlements involving defective knee and hip replacements.

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If you or someone you know has experienced severe pain or other injuries after the implantation of a Wright Medical hip replacement device, contact us today for a free no-obligation case evaluation.

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