Smith & Nephew manufactures a variety of hip implants that use patented technology designed to increase mobility and range of motion and be more durable than previous hip models, but the metal liner used in the company’s Reflection 3 (R3) Acetabular System was recalled in 2012, due to a higher than expected rate of failure, and at least four other Smith & Nephew hip implant models have been subjected to recalls and/or named in product liability lawsuits since 2013. If you or a loved one has been adversely affected by problems with Smith & Nephew’s R3 Acetabular Hip System, don’t hesitate to get legal help. Contact an experienced defective hip implant lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your options for legal recourse.
The metal liner used in Smith & Nephew’s R3 Acetabular Hip System was recalled in 2012, after it was discovered that the liner component was associated with an increased risk of device dislocation, bone fracture, infection and other serious complications requiring revision surgery. According to the FDA, the metal liner was approved for use with the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing System, but not for use with R3 Acetabular hip implants. When used together, the R3 Acetabular Liner and the Birmingham Hip Replacement System or the R3 Acetabular Hip System create a metal-on-metal hip replacement, which research has shown may cause additional complications stemming from the potential for these implants to shed microscopic metal particles into the bloodstream and the tissue surrounding the implant. According to studies, at least 6% of hip implants using the R3 metal liner fail within four years of the initial implantation. When the R3 Acetabular Liner was removed from the market, Smith & Nephew claimed that the recall was simply a precautionary measure, but at the time, thousands of patients had already received hip implants featuring the recalled metal liner and a number of these patients had already required revision surgery to remove or replace failed implants.
According to studies, at least 6% of hip implants using the R3 metal liner fail within four years of the initial implantation.
Smith & Nephew’s R3 Acetabular System is a modular hip replacement system designed to allow surgeons to choose customized hip components based on the individual needs of each patient. First introduced in the United States in 2009, the R3 hip system was marketed as a superior alternative to traditional hip implants and was implanted in at least 4,000 American patients before the metal liner component was recalled in 2012. The R3 Acetabular Liner used in Smith & Nephew’s hip implant was made of chromium and cobalt, which the manufacturer claimed reduced friction and excess wear, and the modular design of the artificial hip made it a popular option for active patients in need of improved range of motion and greater hip flexibility. Despite claims by Smith & Nephew that its hip device was superior to traditional hip implants, patients implanted with the R3 system continue to experience serious problems and debilitating complications.
A Smith & Nephew R3 hip implant lawsuit can help cover the cost of:
Smith & Nephew is a device manufacturing company known for its innovative hip replacement solutions, but the company also has a history of legal problems. In 2007, for instance, Smith & Nephew paid $28.9 million to the Justice Department to resolve claims that the company illegally paid surgeons to use their implants in patients, and in 2014, the company paid another $11.3 million to settle a “whistleblower” lawsuit alleging that hip implants the company claimed were made in America and sold to the U.S. government were actually made in Malaysia. The first lawsuits over problems with Smith & Nephew’s R3 hip implant were filed in 2013, just four years after the device entered the U.S. market, and the number of lawsuits brought against Smith & Nephew for hip implant complications continue to grow. Patients forced to undergo revision surgery to remove or replace a defective R3 Acetabular hip implant may have grounds to file a lawsuit against Smith & Nephew to recover financial compensation for any pain and suffering or revision surgery costs.
