DePuy Attune Knee Implant Lawsuit
Problem summary
For patients undergoing knee replacement surgery, an artificial knee implant that improves stability and range of motion and that helps them return to their normal activities is imperative. An estimated 4.4 million patients have received artificial knees in the United States, and as the rate of knee replacement surgeries performed has increased, so, too, has the number of adverse events reported in connection with failed and faulty implants. One such knee implant is DePuy Synthes’ Attune Knee System, which lawsuits claim is defectively designed with too smooth a surface so that surgical glue fails to properly secure the device to the tibia bone, thereby exposing the implant recipient to numerous debilitating complications, including premature failure, joint destabilization, loss of mobility and significant pain requiring painful revision surgeries. Although knee replacement systems are meant to last anywhere from 12 to 20 years, Attune knee implant failure can occur within just two years of surgery.
About DePuy Attune Knees
DePuy’s Attune knee implant was designed over a six-year period and was marketed as a knee replacement system that could improve clinical outcomes in implant recipients, reduce recovery time and allow patients to return to their normal activities sooner than older models allowed. The knee is the hardest-working joint in the body, and when a damaged knee is replaced with a prosthetic joint, the procedure should relieve persistent pain and improve stability and range of motion in the knee joint. Unfortunately, the Attune knee has been tied to a higher-than-expected failure rate and reports indicate that recipients of the knee implant may face an increased risk of premature failure and debilitating injuries, many of which many require revision surgery to remove or replace the failed device.
The main issue with some of the newer knee replacement systems on the market today is that many of these implants were approved via the FDA’s 510(k) premarket approval program, which allows device manufacturers to bring their products to market without rigorous testing, so long as there is a similar device already on the market. As such, when DePuy submitted the Attune Knee System to the FDA for premarket approval in 2010, the company claimed that the artificial knee was “substantially equivalent to currently marketed devices.” One of the “currently marketed devices” DePuy relied on for the Attune knee’s approval was Zimmer’s NexGen Knee System, which was recalled in 2015, due to a high failure rate.
Between 2002 and 2013, DePuy Synthes recalled 277 knee replacements and components due to problems such as implant loosening and premature failure, and in 2017, the Journal of Knee Surgery published an article in which nine prominent orthopedic surgeons reported an unusually high rate of premature failure associated with the Attune knee implant. According to reports, the FDA has received more than 1,400 reports of the Attune knee device failing since its approval in 2010, and at least 633 of these reports have involved the need for revision surgery to replace the failed implant. Although DePuy continues to defend the integrity of its Attune Knee System and discredit research highlighting the device’s faults, the company recently launched an updated version of the knee implant called the Attune S+, which features a non-smooth surface.
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DePuy Attune Knee Implant Injuries
- Implant loosening
- Knee instability
- Persistent joint paint
- Nerve damage
- Infection
- Device fracture
- Decreased range of motion
- Fracture of the femur or tibia
- Clicking or grinding sounds when walking
- Metal blood poisoning
- Need for revision surgery
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DePuy Attune Resources and Studies
DePuy Attune Knee Implant Settlements & Litigation
In light of the potential for DePuy Attune knee devices to cause serious complications in implant recipients, product liability lawyers across the country are investigating claims on behalf of patients who required revision surgery to remove or replace failed Attune knee implants. Several Attune knee implant lawsuits have already been filed over premature device failure, and hundreds of lawsuits are expected to be filed in the coming months and years, as more and more Attune recipients suffer implant failure and the associated complications. According to allegations raised in the Attune lawsuits, DePuy knew or should have known that the knee implants were defective and failing prematurely, yet continued to aggressively market and sell the devices, claiming that they are safe and effective for use in knee replacement surgeries.
If you or a loved one has suffered debilitating injuries from a faulty Attune knee implant, contact a knowledgeable product liability lawyer today for legal help. A defective knee implant lawsuit can help cover the cost of hospital bills, revision surgery, pain and suffering, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity, and permanent disability.
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