As Biomet Hip Lawsuits Mount, Bernstein Liebhard LLP Notes New Study Investigating Cancer Risks in Metal-on-Metal Hip Implant Patients
New York, New York (PRWEB) March 05, 2014 -- As Biomet hip lawsuits (http://www.consumerinjurylawyers.com/biomet-magnum-hip-replacement) involving the M2a Magnum Hip Replacement System continue to mount in federal court, Bernstein Liebhard LLP notes the publication of a new study investigating cancer risks in metal-on-metal hip implant patients. The study, which was published in the February 2014 issue of Acta Orthopaedica, compared data from the Finnish Arthroplasty Register involving 10,728 patients with metal-on-metal hip implants and 18,235 patients who received other types of hip replacements. Though the findings suggested that all-metal hips were not associated with a higher risk of cancer overall, the data did indicate that metal-on-metal hip implant patients were more likely to develop soft-tissue sarcoma and basalioma. The all-metal hip patients were followed for an average of 4.6 years, while those with other devices were followed for an average of 6 years.*
While the authors of the study concluded that metal-on-metal hip implants were not associated with an overall increased risk of cancer, they did caution that such devices should not be considered safe until data with longer follow-up time are available.
“Aside from the cancer risk addressed in this study, recent action by federal health regulators, as well the litigation surrounding Biomet hip replacements and other metal-on-metal devices serves to remind that metal-on-metal hip implants may be associated with many other serious side effects,” says Bernstein Liebhard LLP, a nationwide law firm representing the victims of defective drugs and medical devices. The Firm continues to offer free and confidential legal consultations to M2a Magnum hip recipients who allegedly suffered serious and debilitating complications due to its metal-on-metal design.
Biomet Hip Replacement Lawsuits
Metal-on-metal hip implants like the Biomet M2a Magnum hip replacement consist of a chromium-cobalt acetabular ball and femoral cup. In recent years, concerns have arisen that the metal ions shed from these devices could result in a number of serious complications and long-term health problems. In January 2013, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) warned that patients fitted with all-metal hips were more likely to experience adverse local reactions and other problems that may result in premature device failure. The agency also advised that some metal ions could travel to other parts of the body, where they may cause symptoms or illnesses elsewhere in the body. Among other things, the FDA recommended that metal-on-metal hip implant recipients undergo blood tests for elevated metal ion levels if they experienced any problems that might indicate their hip replacement was not performing as intended.
According to court documents, more than 1,000 Biomet hip lawsuits have been filed in a multidistrict litigation now underway in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Indiana. All of the claims pending in the proceeding allege that the metal-on-metal design of the M2a Magnum hip system caused recipients to develop metallosis (metal ion poisoning), pseudotumors and other complications that resulted in early failure of their hip and the need for revision surgery to remove and replace the device. (In re: Biomet M2a Magnum Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation – MDL No. 2391)
On February 3, 2014, U.S. District Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. approved a Biomet hip replacement settlement which could resolve hundreds of claims filed in the proceeding. According to court documents, plaintiffs must file their Biomet hip lawsuits no later than April 15, 2014 in order to be eligible to participate in the settlement program. Under the terms of the agreement, plaintiffs who received one of the affected Biomet hip replacements as part of an initial surgery that was rectified more than 180 days after it was implanted will be eligible for a base award of $200,000.
Biomet hip replacement recipients who suffered serious complications allegedly related to the metal-on-metal design of the M2a Magnum hip system may be entitled to compensation for their injury-related damages. Learn more about filing a Biomet hip lawsuit by visiting Bernstein Liebhard LLP’s website. To arrange for a free case review, call 800-511-5092 to speak with a member of our legal staff.
*informahealthcare.com/doi/full/10.3109/17453674.2013.878830, Acta Orthopaedica, February 2014
About Bernstein Liebhard LLP
Bernstein Liebhard LLP is a New York-based law firm exclusively representing injured persons in complex individual and class action lawsuits nationwide since 1993, including those who have been harmed by dangerous drugs, defective medical devices and consumer products. The firm has been named by The National Law Journal to the Plaintiffs’ Hot List, recognizing the top plaintiffs firms in the country, for the past 12 consecutive years. Bernstein Liebhard LLP is the only firm in the country to be named to this prestigious list every year since the list was first published in 2003.
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Bernstein Liebhard LLP
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Felecia L. Stern, Bernstein Liebhard LLP, http://www.consumerinjurylawyers.com, +1 800-511-5092, [email protected]
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