Knee Replacement Patients Need Honest Objective Advice

DePuy Knee Lawsuit News

The DePuy knee replacement website reads more like a late night infomercial than an honest and objective assessment of an artificial knee

Tuesday, May 28, 2019 - While much has been made of the number of total knee failures that require revision surgery, little has been said of the high percentage of knee replacements that do not work very well. Because the knee supports a person's full body weight with every walking step and many times a person's weight when running, jumping or walking downstairs, even the slightest wobble can cause a person to fall and perhaps seriously injure or even kill themselves. Unlike any other joint in the body, the artificial knee can become unstable due to everyday usage. In extreme cases, 8-10 percent of artificial knees become debonded and can cause a catastrophic and unexpected fall. DePuy knee attorneys have vast experience representing families and individuals harmed by medical device defects and will provide a free case review to persons who suffered from early failure of a DePuy knee and who were forced to undergo revision surgery.

There are many reasons for partial knee replacement failure, and each one can cause the artificial knee to fail to place the foot forward where the patient intended. To make matters worse, virtually all knee replacement patients continue to experience terrible pain whenever they attempt to walk and most require a walking device such as a cane for the remainder of their lives. For most knee replacement patients, running, jumping or participating in sports or outdoor activities are out of the question.

The Hospital For Special Surgery deals with knee replacement patients that are experiencing complications from their artificial knee device. The hospital performs over 300 "revision" surgeries per year on patients that have broken artificial knee joints. According to the hospital, the reasons patients come to them include "pain, instability, swelling, and stiffness across the entire knee (generalized) or in a small section (localized)." The hospital has listed the following reasons they have found why knee replacement devices fail:

"Wear and loosening: Friction caused by joint surfaces rubbing against each other wears away the surface of the implant causing bone loss and loosening of the implants.

Infection: Large metal and plastic implants can serve as a surface onto which bacteria can latch.

Fracture: Fractures around the knee implant that disrupt its stability may require revision surgery.

Instability: A sensation of the knee "giving away" may mean that the soft-tissue surrounding the knee is too weak to support standing and walking. Improperly placed implants may also cause instability.

Stiffness: Loss of range of motion which causes pain and a functional deficit."

Patients are rarely warned of the potential for complications such as the ones listed above by their orthopedic surgeon who is overly eager to perform the financially lucrative surgery on as many patients as he can find. Hidden in the fine print on the DePuy knee replacement website is a disclaimer that vaguely warns of the potential harm that knee replacement may cause.

"As with any medical treatment, individual results may vary. The performance of knee replacements depends on your age, weight, activity level, and other factors. There are potential risks, and recovery takes time. People with conditions limiting rehabilitation should not have this surgery. Only an orthopedic surgeon can determine if knee replacement is right for you." The last statement is categorically false. The patient is the only person that can determine if they need this extreme and mostly unnecessary procedure, but they can only make an informed decision if they have all of the facts. Senior citizens in less than the optimal physical condition may not be able to endure the rigors of physical therapy knee replacement requires post-op. The same holds true for being overweight. Eating a proper diet, light exercise and losing weight can go a long way to alleviating knee pain without going to the extreme measures of replacing the knee.

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