DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. which is part of pharmaceutical giant Johnson and Johnson, created two hip replacement devices that have come under fire in the recent past. These products are the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular Hip System and the DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing Platform. They issued a voluntary world-wide DePuy hip recall of both of these devices in August of 2010.

Hip replacement products all work in similar ways. The structure of the hip is a ball and joint mechanism. The ball portion of the hip, also called the femoral head, fits into the socket, which is known as the acetabulum. The ball rotates with movement within the curved socket of the acetabulum. Hip replacement products mimic this structure and should provide comfortable freedom of movement. There are three basic hip replacement models that are used. With the ASR Hip, the socket, or acetabulum is replaced with metal cup. With the ASR XL Total Hip the femoral head (ball) attaches to the stem (femur bone), and the ball rotates within the acetubulum (socket). The resurfacing system is comprised of cups that cover the femoral head, as well as the surface of the acetabulum.

Recipients of the ASR XL Acetabular Hip System and the ASR Resurfacing Platform have reported significant problems with the devices after implant. DePuy has reported that they have found a 12% to 13% failure rate with the devices, often within the first few years of implantation. These problems unfortunately mean that these patients will require a second implant surgery, known as a revision. There are several causes of these failures. The implant seems to loosen and not stay affixed to the bone. Bone breakage and fractures have been reported, as well as dislocation, where the ball and joint do not stay properly aligned. It has been determined that the movement of the metal ball against a metal socket creates microscopic metallic particles to accumulate in the hip and the bloodstream.

It is estimated that 93,000 of these hip replacement devices were sold. There is no class action against the manufacturer currently. DePuy hip replacement lawsuit cases that are being filed will likely be organized into an MDL, or multi-district litigation. In an MDL, the cases are filed individually and consolidated. Common aspects of the case will be supervised by a single judge. If you have a DePuy hip implant, it is important that you speak with your surgeon right away. You will need to be tested for possible hip failure. You should also speak with a lawyer regarding your legal options.

How do I know if I am subject to the DePuy ASR Recall?
The DePuy hip recall encompasses the DePuy Orthopaedics ASR XL Acetabular System and the DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System. These two hip systems became available in July 2003. If you had hip surgery before July 2003, then your hip replacement is not on the recall list. If you had hip replacement surgery after July 2003, you should contact your surgeon or the hospital where the surgery was done and ask if you received the DePuy ASR hip. The manufacturer does not keep a list of patients who received its hip products.

What can I sue for?
In a DePuy ASR lawsuit, you can allege a number of things. You can sue for DePuy’s failure to warn of the high rate of failures of its ASR hip replacement systems, strict liability for a defective product, breach of warranty, and the negligent design, manufacture, and labeling of the devices.

The first DePuy lawsuit hip claim was brought by Kathleen Margenau in U.S. District Court in Fort Myers, Florida, in June 2010. She received the ASR hip implant in March 2008 and alleged that she began experiencing pain and weakness in her hip and quadriceps immediately. Just over a year after her hip replacement surgery, Ms. Margenau suffered what her doctor called a “catastrophic failure” and the hip device was replaced with another artificial hip system from a different manufacturer.

More recently, a Georgia resident has filed a DePuy ASR lawsuit against DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc., and Johnson and Johnson, its parent company, over his defective ASR hip device. The man, Virgil Lewis, claims that he received a DePuy ASR Acetabular Cup in a total hip replacement surgery, and that he experienced pain and extreme weakness in his hip and quadriceps despite his wounds healing perfectly. Lewis claims that he will continue to suffer an increased risk of long term complications, pain and additional corrective surgeries because of the defective product.

Why was the DePuy ASR Recall implemented?
The DePuy hip recall was issued because data it received showed that five years after the hip was implanted, 12% of patients who had received the ASR Resurfacing System and 13% of patients who received the ASR total hip replacement needed to have it replaced. This replacement surgery is called revision surgery. If you are among the patients who received a defective ASR hip replacement, then you should contact an attorney for the latest DePuy recall news.

If you have received of one of the recalled hip implant devices you are probably wondering if you need a lawyer, and are confused on how to proceed.

First, it is important to be very clear on what DePuy is actually offering. While their statement above seems somewhat comforting, the reality of the situation is far different. DePuy has requested that the affected patients submit their medical bills to their own health insurance company, and DePuy will in turn pay the co-pay and deductible.

This is problematic. Under ERISA health insurance and Federal Medicare Regulations, a patient can be held responsible for paying the costs of treatment if they receive reimbursement from a third party. So when DePuy pays the co-pay and deductible, they may be creating legal liability for their patients.

Once money is received, the patient becomes responsible for the entire costs of treatment to Medicare or ERISA. These entities have a legal right to pursue reimbursement from the patient and take them to court. When a patient accepts the co-pay and deductible from DePuy, it would only cover out of pocket costs, potentially leaving the patient legally exposed when they are sued.

This promise to pay by DePuy also implies that the co-pay and deductible are the only damages experienced by these patients. They do not mention the emotional stress, the physical pain, the loss of wages, and the impaired ability to enjoy life. There are serious medical questions that remain unanswered. There are classic symptoms of DePuy hip replacement failure, including pain, swelling, dislocation of the hip, and loosening of the device. The grinding of metal on metal is known to cause the release of metal ions into the blood stream of the patient. There is as of yet, no clear indication of what risks these potentially carcinogenic substances do to a patient in the long run.

It is recommended that you do not sign anything from the manufacturer without first consulting with an experienced lawyer to learn about all of your options. The monetary offer made by DePuy to compensate the victims of this DePuy recall may not cover all of the related costs and does not include pain and suffering. Speak with a lawyer to learn more about protecting your rights, the latest DePuy hip recall news and obtaining the compensation you deserve.

Can Removal Avoid a Sprint Fidelis Lead Fracture?

While removing the leads that are the subject of the Sprint Fidelis recall may seem like the obvious solution, it is not that easy. The company itself, in the letter it sent out to customers to announce the recall, said that the risks of removing these devices are higher than the risks posed by the Sprint Fidelis lead fracture problem. Therefore, these patients are essentially stuck with the devices, which may or may not work as intended.

Is there a Medtronic Lead Lawsuit?

There is currently a Medtronic lead lawsuit being heard in federal court. The proceedings were moved to Minneapolis, the home of the Medtronic company, due to the large number of people involved in the case. If you were implanted with any of the devices involved in the Medtronic Sprint Fidelis recall, you are entitled to take part in this lawsuit. You may stand to receive financial compensation for having been implanted with one of these faulty devices.

What Devices Are Affected by the Medtronic Lead Failure Issues?

The Medtronic Sprint Fidelis recall affects four models of leads produced by the company. They include the following medical products:

• Sprint Fidelis 6930
• Sprint Fidelis 6931
• Sprint Fidelis 6848
• Sprint Fidelis 6949

If you were implanted with any of these devices, you should contact an attorney to explore your options for a legal remedy to your situation.

What if I Have a Sprint Fidelis Lead Fracture?

If you’re having problems with the Sprint Fidelis lead fracture issues, there may be noticeable physical symptoms. The FDA recommends that you contact your doctor if you’re implanted with one of these devices and if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Repetitive Shocks
• Lightheadedness
• Dizziness

While these devices are safer left in than removed, according to the company, there is the potential that a Medtronic lead failure will result in a failure of the device to work in the event of a real cardiac emergency. This rather puts those implanted with the devices in a bad situation: leave the faulty device in or risk a surgery to have it removed.

Participating in the Medtronic Sprint Fidelis Lawsuit

The Medtronic Sprint Fidelis lawsuit is open to anyone who is implanted with these devices. If this includes you, contact an attorney to learn more about your legal options and the latest Medtronic lawsuit update news. You may be able to recover financial damages due to having been implanted with these faulty devices.

If your brain tissue becomes damaged from a lack of blood, you will experience one or more impairments. The form of the impairment depends on the area of your brain affected by the stroke. Its severity depends on the size of the blockage within the carotid artery and the length of time that passes prior to receiving treatment. Stroke rehabilitation is usually necessary to regain lost function.

Goals Of Stroke Rehabilitation

During rehabilitation, you’ll work with several health care professionals to recover physical and mental function lost during the stroke. The areas of expertise of these providers will depend on your needs. For example, physical therapists will address disabilities related to movement; occupational therapists focus primarily on motor skills and related functions; speech pathologists can help you cope with aphasia.

The extent to which a survivor recovers lost functions is unpredictable. The goal of stroke rehabilitation is to recover as much as possible.

Regaining Mobility And Other Physical Functions

Physical disabilities are common with strokes. This is because your limbs are controlled by both the left and right hemispheres of your cerebrum. A blockage that affects either hemisphere can result in weakness or partial paralysis, both of which will reduce your mobility.

The job of physical therapists is twofold. First, they’ll work to help you regain lost function of your impaired limbs. Second, they’ll teach you strategies to compensate for any remaining shortfall in function.

These goals are accomplished by focusing solely on the impaired limb while ignoring unaffected limbs, or even temporarily restraining them. Your therapist might encourage you to engage in range-of-motion techniques and exercises that rebuild coordination. If you suffer partial paralysis, he or she may use tap-induced stimulation to help return feeling to the impaired limb and encourage movement.

Relearning Motor Skills

You may lose the ability to perform important motor skills as the result of suffering Nuvaring side effects involving a stroke. Loss of these motor skills can impact every area of your daily and professional life. For example, they can limit your ability to take a shower, prepare meals, work on a computer, and vacuum the floor of your home. The job of an occupational therapist is to help you relearn the most important of these skills.

In the event some motor skills are unrecoverable, your therapist can teach you strategies to compensate. This might include changing the layout of your home or installing certain features that make everyday life more manageable for you.

Coping With Aphasia

Aphasia is an impairment that affects your ability to speak and comprehend the speech of others. It comes in three forms (e.g. Broca’s aphasia, Wernicke’s aphasia, and Global aphasia) with the effects of each manifesting in various ways. Broca’s aphasia affects the production of speech. Wernicke’s aphasia involves a loss of comprehension. Global aphasia involves both impairments.

A speech and language therapist (known as a pathologist) will work with you to help you regain your ability to speak and understand what others are saying. If a deficit remains in either ability, your therapist will teach you alternative methods for communicating. This is a critical part of stroke rehabilitation because it directly impacts your ability to interact with those around you.

Stroke problems can range from minimal to severe, and their impact on your life will vary. For example, you might experience difficulty remembering key events from your past, an impairment that may have little effect on your daily life. On the other hand, you may experience paralysis, loss of motor skills, and speech-related impairments, all of which will require long-term rehabilitation.

If you or someone you know has suffered abnormal clotting, stroke, or other side effects, find out about your legal rights. Contact a Nuvaring attorney to discuss your case and for the latest Nuvaring lawsuit 2010 news.

In fact, Accutane is incredibly effective for the treatment of acne. These lawsuits are a response to the long term, severe and destructive inflammatory bowel side effects that have been linked to the use of Accutane by acne patients. A growing number of Accutane lawsuits continue to be filed by patients suffering from these more serious side effects.

But what are these Accutane side effects years later? Here is a brief overview of Accutane’s complications.

Accutane Crohn’s Disease

Some of the patients that have been prescribed and had used Accutane develop a host of bowel and gastrointestinal disorders. Among the very worst of these is Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease is an autoimmune disorder that inflames parts of a patient’s digestive system with severe pain and diarrhea. Though it does subside after a time, it always flares up again. This cycle repeats again and again, forcing those afflicted to incur this frustrating pain and discomfort in perpetuity.

Crohn’s disease is a chronic disorder, meaning that there is no known cure for it. Also, there is little that can be done medically to effectively treat Crohn’s disease when its symptoms flare up. Patients must simply suffer through it. Most of the court cases so far have been brought by plaintiffs that have become afflicted with Crohn’s disease following the use of Accutane.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Accutane use has also been linked to the onset of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This disorder is similar in nature to Crohn’s, only it is slightly less severe, and is concentrated to a patient’s lower intestines only. Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome include lower abdominal pain, painful bowel movements, and other inflammations throughout the digestive tract.

Accutane may prompt the onset of Irritable Bowel Syndrome through higher than normal doses of the acne drug. Most of the Accutane lawsuits have been prompted by the chronic, ongoing nature of these bowel disorder side effects.

Accutane Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is, like Crohn’s disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome, an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Unlike the other Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, ulcerative colitis can be fatal in some cases, making the side effects of Accutane potentially deadly. Accutane patients who become afflicted with ulcerative colitis face chronic pain and inflammation similar to Crohn’s disease, but in the case of ulcerative colitis, this is often a best-case scenario. Patients suffering with this bowel disease have continued to file Accutane lawsuit ulcerative colitis claims to help with ongoing medical care and the pain and suffering that goes along with this serious disease.

Skin Conditions

Some of the less severe side effects of Accutane include skin problems. These skin conditions include severe dry skin, bloody noses, and in some cases, the use of Accutane can cause a worsening of the original acne that the drug was intended to treat.

Yaz Gallbladder Side Effects

Yaz side effects on the gallbladder may have to do with the cholesterol content of the bile within it. This bile flows through small ducts. When that flow is compromised, gallstones may result. These are suspected of being a manifestation of Yaz gallbladder disease in some patients.

These gallstones are extremely painful. They usually have to be surgically removed from the organ. If they are not, or if the Yaz birth control side effects are persistent, these gallstones may destroy the organ itself over time. The gallbladder usually has to be removed, if this is the case, and that means big changes for whoever had the surgery. The gallbladder is an important part of the digestive system and Yaz gallbladder injuries can very much decrease one’s quality of life, not to mention the expenses of surgery.

Yaz Birth Control Side Effects on the Circulatory System

One of the main areas of concern with some critics of the newer generation of hormone-based birth control are the potential Yaz side effects on the circulatory system. This may include an increased risk of blood clots. When they’re in place, blood clots can cause a great deal of pain, and they can continue to cause that same pain long after they’ve been treated. Treatment usually means a blood-thinning agent, which is a serious medication with dangerous side effects of its own.

A blood clot that breaks free can cause a stroke, a pulmonary embolism or a heart attack. Any of these conditions can be fatal, of course, and even those lucky enough to survive them oftentimes have major changes in their lifestyle necessitated by the condition. If you believe that you’re suffering Yasmin birth control side effects that are affecting you in either way, you should call a doctor and get examined quickly.

Yasmin Lawsuit Update

An individual Yaz lawsuit may be the only way to help recover outstanding medical bills, time lost from work and compensation for long-term injuries caused by this birth control pill, since there is currently no national Yaz class action lawsuit. There are numerous cases in the past where birth control products have exhibited the type of dangers linked to Yaz, Ocella and Yasmin birth control side effects. In many cases, those dangers weren’t fully realized until millions had already started taking the drug and many of those patients ended up suffering because of it.

There have been no Yaz lawsuit 2010 settlements to date and women affected continue to pursue their legal rights by filing a claim for compensation.

If you’ve read any research about Paxil and what it can do to a developing baby, you might wonder how, exactly, the medication was placed in this particular category. It potentially places developing babies at all stages of development at serious risk, and many researchers argue that it shouldn’t be used by pregnant women at all. Not only that, but many also argue that it shouldn’t even be used by women who have a chance of becoming pregnant.

Why the difference here? Well, for one thing, the Paxil side effects and Paxil birth defects that have long been known in the research community aren’t necessarily accepted by doctors at large. This has a lot to do with the fact that birth defects from this medication are somewhat rare. However, what woman would take a chance of giving her baby a birth defect, even if she knew the chance was slight?

When Paxil Affects a Baby
In many Paxil lawsuit pregnancy claims, pregnancy was unknown at first while the woman was on the medication. Most women are halfway or more through their first trimester before they even become aware of a pregnancy, and some of the worst Paxil birth defects develop during this time.

These problems can include congenital heart defects, as well as defects of the abdomen and cranium. Babies who are exposed to this medication early in their development are already starting to have hearts, heads, and bodies, which is why Paxil can have such devastating effects early in a pregnancy.

Women who are taking Paxil late in a pregnancy may also run the risk of major birth defects in their children. At this point, defects and problems may be less serious, including babies who have Paxil withdrawal symptoms when they are first born. Fetuses who are exposed to Paxil during the third trimester of development also run the risk of developing Paxil PPHN, a rare side effect that can cause major developmental delays, hearing and speech problems, and even infant death.

Paxil Lawsuit Birth Defects
Because Paxil affects a developing baby in different ways at different times of the pregnancy, it may be difficult to sort out when a birth defect is due to this medication and when it is not. If you think your baby has a Paxil birth defect, it may be time to look at hiring an experienced attorney to discuss your legal option including being part of a Paxil lawsuit birth defects claim which can help pay for your child’s special medical needs or to help your family adjust financially with ongoing care.

Surgeons make a small incision and create a pocket in the perperitoneal space. The hernia mesh patch will then be placed behind the hernia inside the abdominal cavity. A plastic memory recoil ring holds the patch in place, which allows the patch to folded during insertion and lay flat once it is in place. Over 78,000 hernia surgeries have used the Kugel hernia mesh patch.

Complications with the Kugel Hernia Mesh

Davol, the manufacturer of the Kugel hernia patch, began receiving complaints about the Kugel mesh patch in February of 2003. Apparently, the recoil ring that keeps the patch open after implantation is subject to break under the stress in the abdomen. The memory ring is a hard plastic that can form sharp edges, which can then puncture the internal organs.

Several cases have stated serious injuries, including bowel obstruction, bowel perforation, chronic intestinal fistulae, and serious infections. The symptoms of the Kugel hernia mesh breakage are said to be unexplained and persistent abdominal pain, fever, and tenderness at the site of the surgery. The manufacturing company began recalling the Kugel mesh patches in December of 2005, while also distributing patches that were meant to be larger and improved.

Hernia Mesh Lawsuit

The hernia mesh lawsuit has a goal of helping the individuals that have experienced illness or injury due to the Kugel mesh patch. If you have suffered any of the side effects from one of these defective hernia repair patches, then there may be legal recourse for you. You should confirm with your surgeon or physician that one of the recalled patches was used before seeking legal counsel, however. There is no nationwide class action suit against Devol for the defective Kugel hernia mesh, so each individual patient must seek damages on their own.

The pending lawsuits state that Davol should be held responsible, as it is the duty of any pharmaceutical and medical device company to provide the consuming public with safe and tested products. Many patients are suing for unpaid medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and a loss of their quality of life. Family members of those that have died as a result of the hernia mesh recall are seeking damages for pain and suffering, as well as any remaining medical bills. If you think there is a chance that you are the recipient of one of the defective Kugel hernia mesh patches, then you should see your doctor right away.