Hip fractures are a common injury in the United States. The elderly are more predisposed to hip fracture injuries, especially if they have co-morbid conditions such as osteoporosis or osteoarthritis. Though some types of hip fractures are more suitable for total hip replacements over other, the decision for the best type of operative intervention is dependent on the patients age, the location of the fracture, and the assessment of the surgeon. Patients requiring total hip replacement should know the risks associated with the procedure and with the types of devices that are used. Several reports claim that there are serious problems with the Pinnacle hip replacement causing DePuy Pinnacle lawsuits.
There are three classifications of hip fractures that are identified according to their locations: femoral neck fractures, intertrochanteric fractures, and subtrochanteric fractures. Femoral neck fractures occur in the region of the femur between the femoral head proximally and the greater and lesser trochanters distally. These types of fractures are intracapsular, which means they occur within the hip joint and beneath the fibrous joint capsule. Breaks of the femur between the greater and lesser trochanters are known as intertrochanteric fractures. As opposed to femoral neck fractures, intertrochanteric fractures are considered extracapsular and are located outside the fibrous capsule of the hip joint. Subtrochanteric fractures are identified between the lesser trochanter and the femoral isthmus in the proximal part of the femoral shaft. While they are less common than femoral neck and intertrochanteric fractures, subtrochanteric fractures are less stable and more difficult to correct with surgery.
All three types of fractures do require surgical intervention; however, not all are corrected with a total hip replacement. Femoral neck fractures are more likely to be corrected with a total hip replacement. With intertrochanteric and subtrochanteric fractures, total hip replacement surgery is only required if severe complications (e.g., nonunion, secondary displacement, avascular necrosis), cause the failure of the initial surgery.
Accounting for 45-53% of all hip fractures, femoral neck fractures are the most common location for a hip fracture. Total hip replacement is indicated in these types of fractures for patients that are younger and more active, or with preexisting arthritis. DePuy Orthopaedics developed metal-on-metal hip replacement devices to market towards younger patients wanting to maintain an active lifestyle after hip replacement surgery. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has currently received over 1,300 complaints associated with the Pinnacle hip replacement with the majority of these focusing on the premature loosening of the device from the bone, which leads to device failure and multiple DePuy Pinnacle lawsuits.
DePuy has budgeted almost $1 billion in the past for patients being harmed by their defective devices. If you believe you are entitled to proper compensation because your quality of life has been affected, go to the
DePuy Pinnacle Lawsuit website now to have your case evaluated by an experienced attorney free of charge.
