In 2006 Zimmer Holdings, the world's largest manufacturer of orthopedic devices, introduced the Zimmer Durom Cup Hip Implant in the United States. Since that time, thousands of implants have been surgically inserted into American patients. The device had been used successfully in Europe since 2003 before being tried in the U.S. Unfortunately, its road to success has been far bumpier in the U.S. than it has been in Europe, and U.S. sales have been put on hold.
Physicians have made claims that the Zimmer Cup is defective, a fact that they say has led to hundreds of patients who are now facing replacement surgery within the next few years. Zimmer, however, holds that there is nothing wrong with their implant. Instead, they claim the problem lies in the methods surgeons have been using to do the implants. They say that the surgeons did not receive the training they needed prior to doing implant surgeries, and therefore, the implants have failed. Although Zimmer has not accepted responsibility for the problem, it did voluntarily suspend sales of the device in the United States until such time as surgeons can receive the training they need to perform successful implants.
Patients who suffer ill effects from surgical implants are protected by laws in most U.S. states which say they are entitled to compensation for the pain they endured, all of the extra medical bills they incurred, and the wages they have lost and stand to lose in the future. Under these laws, patients can be compensated if the orthopedic device used in the surgery can be proven to be at fault. With this in mind, hundreds of patients have now filed lawsuits against Zimmer as well as the surgeons who performed the operations. Both sides are still blaming the other, and the court battles are still raging.
Hip replacement surgeries aren't a new idea. In fact, as early as 1891 there is written reference to attempts to replace the femoral head using ivory devices. It wasn't until 1960, however, that the Burmese surgeon, Dr. San Baw, started replacing broken hip bones with ivory. Within the next 20 years Dr. Baw claimed a success rate of 88% on the more than 300 replacement surgeries that he performed.
During the 1970s a man named John Charnley was a pioneer in the development of a 3-part artificial hip joint. This innovative device, or some adaptation of it, was then used by surgeons for over 20 years. By 2003 Zimmer Holdings had introduced its Durom Cup implant in Europe, and it soon came to be known as the best implant on the market.
While hip replacement surgery and the replacement devices used have improved remarkably from the early years, the operation is still far from foolproof. The most common problem when using a Zimmer Durom Cup implant is that it is somewhat smaller than the original human joint and can slip out of the socket, especially if it isn't implanted correctly. Implants are also prone to loosening over time and infections can set in. In spite of these risks, doctors still recommend the surgery for people with seriously damaged hip joints.
Zimmer Holdings is still working to develop the training that surgeons will need in order to perform Durom Cup implants successfully. They are also attempting to resolve all of the pending lawsuits surrounding the device. The company is adamant in its belief that the Durom Cup implant, when used correctly, will positively impact the lives of those needing hip replacement surgery, and they hope to get it back on the U.S. market soon. - 15343
Physicians have made claims that the Zimmer Cup is defective, a fact that they say has led to hundreds of patients who are now facing replacement surgery within the next few years. Zimmer, however, holds that there is nothing wrong with their implant. Instead, they claim the problem lies in the methods surgeons have been using to do the implants. They say that the surgeons did not receive the training they needed prior to doing implant surgeries, and therefore, the implants have failed. Although Zimmer has not accepted responsibility for the problem, it did voluntarily suspend sales of the device in the United States until such time as surgeons can receive the training they need to perform successful implants.
Patients who suffer ill effects from surgical implants are protected by laws in most U.S. states which say they are entitled to compensation for the pain they endured, all of the extra medical bills they incurred, and the wages they have lost and stand to lose in the future. Under these laws, patients can be compensated if the orthopedic device used in the surgery can be proven to be at fault. With this in mind, hundreds of patients have now filed lawsuits against Zimmer as well as the surgeons who performed the operations. Both sides are still blaming the other, and the court battles are still raging.
Hip replacement surgeries aren't a new idea. In fact, as early as 1891 there is written reference to attempts to replace the femoral head using ivory devices. It wasn't until 1960, however, that the Burmese surgeon, Dr. San Baw, started replacing broken hip bones with ivory. Within the next 20 years Dr. Baw claimed a success rate of 88% on the more than 300 replacement surgeries that he performed.
During the 1970s a man named John Charnley was a pioneer in the development of a 3-part artificial hip joint. This innovative device, or some adaptation of it, was then used by surgeons for over 20 years. By 2003 Zimmer Holdings had introduced its Durom Cup implant in Europe, and it soon came to be known as the best implant on the market.
While hip replacement surgery and the replacement devices used have improved remarkably from the early years, the operation is still far from foolproof. The most common problem when using a Zimmer Durom Cup implant is that it is somewhat smaller than the original human joint and can slip out of the socket, especially if it isn't implanted correctly. Implants are also prone to loosening over time and infections can set in. In spite of these risks, doctors still recommend the surgery for people with seriously damaged hip joints.
Zimmer Holdings is still working to develop the training that surgeons will need in order to perform Durom Cup implants successfully. They are also attempting to resolve all of the pending lawsuits surrounding the device. The company is adamant in its belief that the Durom Cup implant, when used correctly, will positively impact the lives of those needing hip replacement surgery, and they hope to get it back on the U.S. market soon. - 15343
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