Fat Loss 4 Idiots Secret

Monday, March 30, 2009

Are You Effected by the Hip Recall?

By Maxwell Schmickman

If you're over the age of 60, it's very likely that either you or someone you love has had a hip replacement. These operations, around for almost 40 years, have become increasingly more common as seniors live longer, and want to live healthy and active lives.

The only issue with hip replacements have been their need to be replaced every ten years on average. If you are young when you receive your implant, this can become a problem as you age. To help solve this issue, the Zimmer hip implant was invented. However, it has been proven to be faulty, leading to a massive hip recall.

For some older Americans, a hip replacement, like those which are a part of the hip recall, can be the perfect solution to their pain and mobility issues. As we get older, body parts that have served us faithfully begin to wear and break down from use. For many, this leads to pain that is manageable. But for some, the pain can be unbearable. Why is this an issue? Because in the last fifty years, Americans have made incredible gains in their lifespan. Because of this, parts of our body that worked great for sixty years are being pushed far beyond that point.

The hip recall is targeted to a device made by the Zimmer Durom company. This device was used for those needing a hip replacement at a younger age than is normal. For most of those receiving a hip replacement, their lifespan will not be longer than that of the normal device, which is about ten years. But for those in their fifties and sixties, the possibility of outliving an implant, and needing it replaced with more surgery, is high. Therefore, the device in the hip recall was marketed as having a much longer life, meaning it would be much less likely to need replacement during a users lifetime.

These claims were actually false. At a clinic where many of the devices were installed, a doctor noted that twelve percent of patients who received the Zimmer Durom implant needed to have them surgically replaced within two years. This number is much higher than it should be given their claims of longevity, and it much higher than that of even a traditional implant. The discrepancy led to calls for a hip recall. Zimmer Durom claimed that the high failure rates at the clinic were caused by doctor error, but in fact, in their own internal study, seven percent of the devices failed within two years. Because of this high number, the company pulled the hip replacement device in July 2008.

If you or someone you know received a hip replacement before July 2008, contact your doctor immediately to ensure that it is not a part of the hip recall. If it is, consult with your doctor about your health, and the longevity of your hip replacement, immediately. Even if the replacement does not need to be removed immediately, you may also qualify to take part in a class action lawsuit against Zimmer Durom. - 17274

About the Author:

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home