Study Finds Plain Cement As Effective As Antibiotic-loaded in Limiting Knee Replacement Surgeries

DePuy Knee Lawsuit News

Infections occurring at the point where the artificial knee device attaches to the tibia and femur is the leading cause of knee replacement failure

Tuesday, April 16, 2019 - Hundreds of thousands of patients have had knee replacements with the DePuy Knee Replacement Device, most of whom knew no better and simply took the advice of their orthopedist. An unacceptably high percentage of these trusting individual has had to undergo one or multiple revision surgeries as the bonding agent (glue) that affixes the device to the tibia and femur develops a serious infection and becomes debonded causing the knee to wobble uncontrollably and the lower leg and foot to point unpredictably. In response to DePuy Knee debonding companies brought to market a knee device cement laced with antibiotics in anticipation of infections occurring. As a result, even more, knees became debonded as the new mixture of cement and drugs caused the mechanical bond to be weaker from the outset. In addition, it has now come to the attention of the orthopedic community that knee cement loaded with antibiotics does not reduce the rate of infection as it was originally intended to do. DePuy knee replacement attorneys representing families and individuals across the united states offer a free no obligation consultation before filing a lawsuit claim.

Orthopedics Today ran an article the other day that presented the findings of the Orthopedic Research Society Annual Meeting where a Dr. James Wittig presented the results of his knee cement findings. The results of his study showed the same rate of deep infection as is happening with non-antibiotic knee glues. Dr. Wittig's team "identified 3,968 total knee arthroplasty cases, of which 3,442 received plain cement and 526 received antibiotic-loaded bone cement, and 148 total hip arthroplasty cases, of which 71 received plain cement and 77 received antibiotic-loaded bone cement. " 13 patients were forced to undergo infection-related revision surgeries. The doctors concluded that antibiotic-loaded knee glue added an unnecessary addition to the cost of knee replacement surgery. According to Helio.com, Dr. Willig released a statement "this study proves that plain cement is as effective and more cost-effective than [antibiotic-loaded bone cement."

According to Medical News Today, "during knee replacement surgery, bacteria might enter a person's body through the wound where the surgical incision was made. If bacteria reach a person's new artificial knee joint, they may multiply and cause an infection." This is often the case as the body's natural immune system attacks the knee glue the same as any foreign object. Patients are advised to look for the earliest possible sign of artificial knee infection such as an inability to walk due to lingering pain, swelling and stiffness at the knee joint, redness and hotness around the incision, pus draining from the incision and finally fever. Medical News Today points to the times when an infection is likely to occur as immediately following surgery, at home after surgery, and months or years after surgery. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons claims that only 1% of all knee and hip replacement surgeries develop an infection but many studying the matter feel that the amount of knee revision surgeries where the infection is present is more like 10-12%.

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