The Zimmer NexGen Knee replacement system, overall, is advertised as affording to the patient greater flexibility—a boon for patients who tend to remain far more active in their twilight years than a previous generation. However, some products in the Zimmer NexGen family, such as the Zimmer NexGen CR-Flex Porous Femoral component, have proven to be troublesome. The prosthetic joint can allegedly loosen, and according to the June 23 issue of the Daily Record in Rochester, New York—revision surgery has the potential to be even less successful, and is usually more invasive than the first.Lawsuits alleging a defect in specific Zimmer knee implants have emerged in three states. According to the Daily Record, a petition has been filed seeking a ruling on consolidation of the cases before a multidistrict litigation (MDL) panel.
The Daily Record reports that various law firms have noticed a great deal of activity online and in blogs, as frustrated patients vent about their Zimmer NexGen troubles. Those patients may have discovered the findings of a Zimmer consultant, who last year delivered a paper to the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons.
Dr. Richard Berger found that 36 percent of patients who received a Zimmer NexGen knee presented with signs that the artificial joint had begun to loosen within the first year. Of those, nine percent required revision surgery.
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Procedures such as hip and knee replacement require a reasonable period for healing, during which time patients are often unable to work at their jobs. A revision surgery so soon following primary surgery can carry various employment and financial hardships for the patient.
The current set of lawsuits claim that Zimmer allowed a defective product onto the market, and failed to warn patients or doctors about the potential risks and alleged high failure rate associated with certain components inherent with Zimmer NexGen Knee Replacement.
READER COMMENTS
Cheryl Von Walker
on
It was not until I wake up that my elderly parents waiting for me told me Williams put something in that was Newer and Better for Younger, Active Patients!
I was in extreme pain after getting home. I bled out and had a Respiratory distress episode and had a 4 day stay in hospital rather than 2 1/2.
I had to keep calling in to Doctors office and then the on- call Doctor on the first 2 full weeks home. I was on fire and the aching was so extreme.... UNLIKE the Knee 6 months before so I knew something was so wrong.
I had to go from Aug. To July to convince Dr. William's I had to have something done, only because I called for my records to go to a different surgeon but His Group would not give me my records WITHOUT seeing him.
That is when he trapped me because I had just had to settle my Bankruptcy before Trustee just 3 weeks before this appt being told he ..... WOULD NEVER go BEFORE a JUDGE or JURY and speak against the company. That to have this REVISION I had to contact the ADVOCATE DEPT the company is providing to pay your expenses and some pain and suffering. If you call an outside attorney they will not talk to you and your means to the revision will become a legal issue. Again as the Surgeon I will Say This Company is doing EVERYTHING to make things right.
Well, I end with 2 revisions, 3 total replacements with rod down to ankle and rod up me femur. My attorneys I finally hired to sue Company - I was 4 years short of being fully vetted in retirement...... They collaborated behind me with Surgeon and Company. Trapped me in having to pay a 50,000 dollar fine while I was living at parents home cause I had lost everything waiting 2 full years with the Surgeons letter holding me back from receiving disability. I had to borrow the money and then be on the line I could not ever pay that money back cause attorneys said if I don't release Surgeon I was going to lose.
I later, being Subpeona to this Surgeon suing the Company the Judge forced my Attorneys to hand over my files, which I finally found Dr. William's put in the CEMENTLESS KNEE SYSTEM that was only to be put in with CEMENT. He Clamped it in thinking that would hold 4 times your body weight, Really?
My attorneys hung me out as a their and liar to bankruptcy court for not notifying the Trustee that I might get some pain and suffering money. I did not know to call. I told the Advocate I was broke and had NO CREDIT and made that call as the SURGEON told me I had to do before he would go into surgery to revise my leg. I at that point was at their mercy for everything. My case ended my attorneys shorting my settlement money I told them I needed to recover for my losses and a future of very poor health and they stole my trust again, tried to degrade my worth but they have failed in that. I will not stop fighting because I have told them since this has taken place I would eventually not be the ONLY Patient out
there. I have wanted to make sure NO ONE goes through what I have.
I felt raped while UNDER ANESTHESIA, I came out loosing everything, especially my health that I had always had. Very strong and active. I began this journey of being sick every day of my life and it is coming up on the 9 year mark when I woke up in HELL! I will be glad to give you all the information I can to help others. I have no hope to recover what these Men Ganged together and took from me behind my back and while I was put under, I have been denied by everyone in Oklahoma and even Pre-Paid Law...... Money is needed only for health comforts but things will work out. My desire is to fight back to have a VOICE against the SURGEON then the ATTORNEYS who both LIED and STOLE what was mine and what the company was told by the SEC to have for the Patient. I just needed these people to go to their jobs and do a normal HONEST days work. Nothing extra, no special treatments, just the basic BUT HONEST job.
Cheryl Von Walker
Edmond/ Oklahoma City, Oklahoma