Hip replacement lawyers deal with hip recalls on a daily basis. Then you have those other patients that are just unsure if their hip replacement has a recall on it. Many times they hear something on TV which often triggers their concerns of a possible recall. This leaves many patients angry and uneasy when they are not sure if they have a defective device in their body and that the manufacturer failed to notify them. However, no one is responsible unfortunately for notifying the patients of a possible recall if they have a hip replacement device.
No Tracking
There is no formal joint registry tracking in the United States for hip implants that have been put into patients. However, there are many other countries that do take advantage of these joint registries so that they are able to keep track of implants and notify them in the event there is a recall. Many fights against being able to implement the use of the national registry in the U.S. have taken place. Utilizing this system would be extremely expensive but not for automotive industries who are easily able to send out recall numbers by using a VIN number tracking system.
There are also few surgeons who will reach out to patients directly to notify them of a recalled hip implant device. However, not all surgeons will do this since they do not have a master record of implanted devices in patients.
Tips for Concerned Patients
For those patients that may be concerned about possibly having a defective or recalled hip implant, you could schedule a visit with your orthopaedic clinic on a yearly basis and also make sure to let them know if any of your contact information changes. Make sure to ask your surgeon about specific details regarding your hip implant device to see if you can find any information in relation to the performance of the device. If you are still facing chronic hip pain, check out this article on the causes of hip pain and treatments available.
Also, make sure to request any copies of your surgery report as well as the product identification stickers. This info should be located within the hospital charts. Make sure to set up any alerts through Google to notify you of any recalls via email using the name of the manufacturer and model number in the event something is published on the internet.
If your device is indeed recalled, make sure to contact hip replacement lawyers to help with filing a potential lawsuit if needed. There will be safety information on the manufacturer’s website if a device is recalled. You can also find this information on the FDA website. These websites allow you to locate information regarding the safety of your hip replacement device using different search options. Many manufacturers will also directly send safety and hazard notices directly to physicians without notifying the public since they do not intend for a recall, so you must be careful.