Do You Have A Defective Knee Replacement Component?
Knee replacement surgery is a very popular procedure for aging Americans. According to the New York Times, more than 600,000 knee replacement surgeries were performed in 2012. While it’s normal for knee replacement components to show signs of wear over time, defective components break down much quicker, causing pain, discomfort, and corrective surgery in patients.
Signs of a Failing Knee Replacement Component
Because the demand for knee replacement surgeries has risen over the last 15 years, manufacturers have rushed to keep up with the need for product. As a result of this, poorly designed devices have been rushed to market, and these devices can break down quicker than the industry norms. Some signs that components in your knee replacement are breaking down include:
- Pain: Pain can begin as mild soreness, reaching severe pain
- Mobility issues: As components break down, you could find your joints less mobile
- Swelling: Fragments from broken components can cause joints to become irritated and swollen
- Instability: When a knee replacement is no longer working as designed, the joints may become instable
- Warmth of the joint: The joint may feel warm due to swelling and irritation
Loosening of a Knee Replacement
Loosening is a common complication as knee replacements wear down and implant components separate from the bone. Some loosening is normal over time, but in poorly designed devices it can happen quicker.
One product manufactured by Zimmer Holdings, the NexGen CR-Flex, is associated with hundreds of adverse events from loosening components. It has been shown that the product can deteriorate in just one year.
Contact an Arkansas knee replacement lawyer if you feel your knee replacement is defective and has deteriorated quicker than it should or caused unnecessary complications.
