DePuy Pinnacle Hip Implant Issues

Like the DePuy ASR XL hip replacement device, the DePuy Pinnacle hip is a metal-on-metal hip replacement. However, unlike its similar hip replacement device, the DePuy Pinnacle hip replacement device has not been recalled. There is growing concern that the Pinnacle has a design defect that causes an unacceptable high early failure rate that may lead to metallosis or metal poisoning from shards of metal from the hip entering the bloodstream.
The DePuy Pinnacle received a fast track approval process based on the 510(k) approval. This type of approval allows for a device’s market approval based on substantial similarity to an already approved, older hip devices. In this case, such a quick approval may prove to be short sighted in that Pinnacle patients are reporting similar to those suffered by the already recalled DePuy ASR XL hip made by the same manufacturer DePuy Orthopaedics.
A failed DePuy ASR XL or Pinnacle hip implant causes untold suffering to patients who have to endure revision surgeries in order to correct the failure. The surgeries are more complicated than the original implantation surgery and complications from the failed hip such as tissue and surrounding bone damage make further surgeries difficult and painful. Rehabilitation from revision surgery is also more difficult.
That’s why it’s important that medical devices such as artificial hips and knees are proven sound and effective before they are ever approved for market use. The rigorous testing and analysis before patient implantation saves the patient unnecessary suffering and cost.