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Among all the injuries in the United States, hip fractures are some of the most common. The elderly are more predisposed to hip fracture injuries, especially if they have co-morbid conditions such as osteoporosis or osteoarthritis. While some types of hip fractures are more likely to receive total hip replacements over others, the choice of operative intervention is based on the age of the patient, the location of the fracture, and the assessment of the surgeon. Patients that are undergoing total hip replacement should know the risks regarding the procedure and the types of devices that are being used. Recent reports have indicated serious problems with the Pinnacle hip replacement causing DePuy Pinnacle lawsuits. The three types of hip fractures are categorized 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 closest to the point of attachment and the greater and lesser trochanters farther from the point of attachment. This category of fracture is considered intracapsular, meaning it occurs 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 located 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. Despite all three types requiring surgical intervention, not all types are corrected with a total hip replacement. Femoral neck fractures are more ideally suited for total hip replacements. Total hip replacement surgery is only indicated with intertrochanteric and subtrochanteric fractures if severe complications (e.g., nonunion, secondary displacement, avascular necrosis), should cause the initial surgery to fail. 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. Out of the 1,300 complaints currently received by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the Pinnacle hip replacement, the majority of these focused on the premature loosening of the device from the hip bone, leading to failure of the device and multiple DePuy Pinnacle lawsuits. In the past, DePuy has allocated almost $1 billion for patients suffering harm from their devices. If you are suffering from pain caused by DePuy’s Pinnacle device, fight for the compensation you deserve and go to the DePuy Pinnacle Lawsuit website to have your case evaluated for free. -------------------------------
Additional Resource: If you or a loved one has had a hip replacement with a DePuy Pinnacle, take action today. You can learn more about your rights by visiting this DePuy Pinnacle Lawsuit resource site.
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DePuy Pinnacle Lawsuit, Hip Replacement, Hip Fractures, DePuy Pinnacle Recall,
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