Have a family member with an artificial hip?
Then you need to read this article from the New York Times, detailing some serious concerns patients are facing.
Metal-on-metal hip replacements are failing at an alarming rate and surgeons who are replacing these failed hip prostheses are finding that the flaking metal is biologically active, causing muscle and tissue damage in the surrounding area (leading to muscles that can no longer contract and other very serious complications).
Many patients are experiencing pain, but some are not; read more here: A Scramble for Solutions as a Hip Device Fails.
UPDATE: A very quick Google search also shows that DePuy (a division of Johnson and Johnson) recalled its ASR XL Acetabular metal-on-metal hip replacement device on August 24, 2010.
Page quote: “DePuy identified reasons for the failure of the hip replacement system as component loosening, component malalignment, infection, fracture of the bone, dislocation, metal sensitivity and pain. Additional complications from the DePuy ASR XL Acetabular hip replacement system may include increased metal ion levels in the blood, bone staining, necrosis, swelling, nerve damage, tissue damage and/or muscle damage.”
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Originally published elsewhere 10/2/11