Stryker LFIT V40 Femoral Head Hip Implant Lawsuits

Patients implanted with Stryker Corporation’s LFIT Anatomic CoCr V40 femoral heads, used in conjunction with other hip replacement systems, may suffer metallosis, adverse local tissue reactions, dislocations, chronic pain and other injuries due to the potential for the metal device to shed microscopic metallic debris during normal use, resulting in premature failure of the implant. If you or a loved one has suffered serious complications allegedly caused by the Stryker femoral head hip implant, contact a knowledgeable product liability lawyer today to explore your possible compensation options.

Stryker Hip Implant Lawsuit Information

Stryker’s LFIT V40 device has been known to cause corrosion between the femoral head and the hip stem, possibly due to a defect in the design of the implant, which can weaken the connection between the implant components and cause pain, swelling and other complications. The problem most often associated with the Stryker implant is metallosis, a type of metal poisoning from exposure to cobalt and chromium debris that may trigger immune system responses like skin rashes, tissue death, bleeding, liver and kidney problems, pseudotumors, and possibly even cognitive impairment.

Lawsuits brought against Stryker over injuries allegedly linked to the company’s LFIT V40 femoral heads claim that the implants are defective and put patients at an unnecessary risk for serious injuries, including metal blood poisoning, tissue death, device fracture and severe joint pain. In February 2017, a Massachusetts woman filed a defective hip implant lawsuit against Stryker, alleging that the company’s failed LFIT V40 femoral head caused her to suffer debilitating injuries, including joint pain, metallosis and soft tissue damage requiring revision surgery and extensive rehabilitation.

Possible Stryker LFIT Femoral Head Side Effects

Complications reported in connection with Stryker’s LFIT V40 femoral head device include:

Excessive metallic debris
Disassociation of femoral head from hip stem
Loss of mobility
Pain in the hip joint
Adverse local tissue reaction

Device dislocation
Joint instability
Implant loosening
Implant fracture
Leg length discrepancy

According to a report published by the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) on February 12, 2015, the number of hip replacement surgeries more than doubled from 2000 to 2010, jumping from 138,700 to a staggering 310,800.

Possible Stryker LFIT Femoral Head Side Effects

Complications reported in connection with Stryker’s LFIT V40 femoral head device include:

Excessive metallic debris
Disassociation of femoral head from hip stem
Loss of mobility
Pain in the hip joint
Adverse local tissue reaction

Device dislocation
Joint instability
Implant loosening
Implant fracture
Leg length discrepancy

History of the Stryker LFIT V40 Hip

Thousands of people implanted with Stryker hip implants have filed lawsuits against the medical device maker to recover compensation for lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages, and, as recipients of Stryker’s LFIT V40 femoral head implants learn about the problems associated with the devices, the company is expected to face hundreds, if not thousands, of additional complaints. According to reports, problems with the LFIT V40’s taper lock system, or the portion of the implant connecting the femoral head to the femoral neck, may cause a reaction resulting in corrosion of the metal components. This corrosion may allow metallic ions to be shed into the patient’s bloodstream, which can result in metallosis, or metal blood poisoning.

The problems associated with metal-on-metal hip implants have been well-documented over the years, beginning in 2010, when Johnson & Johnson’s DePuy Orthopaedics subsidiary recalled its ASR XL Acetabular all-metal hip implant system due to a higher-than-normal failure rate. Two years later, Stryker recalled its metal-on-metal Rejuvenate and AGB II hip implants in response to complaints of corrosion and adverse local tissue reactions, and similar complications have since been reported in connection with Stryker’s femoral heads. Still, it wasn’t until August 2016, that the company recalled certain lots of its LFIT V40 femoral heads, due to a higher than expected number of adverse events reported in connection with the implants, including excessive debris shed from the metal components, and “spontaneous disassociation” of the femoral head from the hip stem.

Reasons to File a Stryker Hip Implant Lawsuit

Lawsuits brought against Stryker over problems with its LFIT V40 femoral heads allege that the company:

Designed, manufactured and sold a defective medical device
Knew about problems with the metal hip implant component
Failed to adequately warn patients and doctors about the potential side effects of the femoral heads
Rushed the hip implant component to market without adequate research and testing
Overstated the benefits of the femoral heads, and downplayed their risks

What is the Stryker LFIT V40 Hip Implant?

In patients experiencing severe hip joint pain due to arthritis, hip replacement surgery, in which the hip joint is removed and replaced with an artificial joint, can help improve functionality, alleviate chronic pain and improve the patient’s overall quality of life. Most hip replacement systems are made from metal and plastic components, though some feature all-metal ball and socket components made from cobalt and chromium, like the LFIT Anatomic CoCr (cobalt-chromium) V40TM Femoral Heads manufactured by Stryker. Stryker’s LFIT V40 femoral heads are hip implant components most commonly used in conjunction with the Accolade TMZF, Accolade 2, Citation and Meridian hip stems, though they can also be implanted with other types of hip stems, including the Rejuvenate and AGB II stems, both of which were recalled in 2012, due to the risk of fretting and corrosion possibly resulting in adverse local tissue reactions.