Huntsville Knee Replacement Lawyer
A knee replacement surgery involves replacing the end of the thigh bone with a cup, and the upper end of the lower leg bone with a plastic piece to replace the existing knee. This takes place when the knee joint has been damaged in an accident or disease necessitates the replacement.
Many people who have had knee replacement surgery find that soon after the surgery they begin to experience complications. If you have suffered injury as a result of a knee replacement, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the Huntsville knee replacement attorneys at Conchin, Cole, Jordan & Sherrod to see how we can help.
Defective Knee Replacements
Thousands of unfortunate patients have been affected by faulty or defective knee replacement products. In some cases, the artificial joints wear out too fast, leading to the need for painful revision surgery. In other cases, high rates of the complications and side-effects mentioned above have been reported.
While many manufacturers make knee replacement products, the market is dominated by four major companies. Zimmer-Biomet holds about 35 percent of the U.S. market share, headlined by the Zimmer Persona total knee replacement, Zimmer NexGen total knee replacement and revision system, Gender Solutions partian and total replacement, and the Oxford partial knee system. DePuy, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, is the second largest knee replacement manufacturer. It’s offerings include the Attune, S-ROM Loiles, LCS Complete, and Sigma knee replacement systems. The Stryker Corporation also holds a large share of the U.S. market with the Scorpio, Triathlon, Duracon TS and Avon Patello-Femoral knee replacement systems. Finally, Smith & Nephew rounds out the top four with the Journey II, Legion, and Genesis II knee replacement systems.
What Side-Effects Might Indicate I Have a Problem?
While side-effects are common after a knee replacement surgery, in some cases they may indicate there was a problem with the knee replacement.
Common side-effects to watch for include:
- Infection
- Chronic pain around the knee
- Bleeding in the knee joint
- Nerve damage
- Chronic stiffness in the knee
- A loss of range of motion
These side effects can range from minor annoyances to serious problems that require further attention or even surgery. Many patients also report a loss or lack of bonding of the knee component to the bone after the failure, which frequently leads to additional surgical procedures.
If you or a loved one had a partial or total knee replacement and have suffered serious side effects or revision surgery, call one of our Huntsville knee replacement attorneys today or complete our online contact form.