‘Life was ruined as a result of hip op’

A woman whose life, it is claimed, was ruined after she had a hip replacement as a teenager has launched a High Court action for damages.

Kiara Kenneally, aged 27, was just 16 years of age when she had a left hip replacement, her counsel, Liam Reidy, told the High Court.

“She was 16 years of age when she had her first hip replacement. Her life was ruined as a result,” Mr Reidy told Mr Justice Bernard Barton.

He said Ms Kenneally has since had to have two revision operations and is due another in the next two years. Mr Reidy said that, as a result of the hip replacement, Ms Kenneally lost out on the enjoyment of life from 16 to 26 years of age and he contended that requires significant compensation.

Ms Kenneally, a sales technician from Hillview, Waterford, but now living in Sandyford, Dublin, has sued hip replacement implant manufacturer DePuy International Ltd as a result of a hip replacement implant she received on her left side on August 17, 2005.

She has claimed the implant was defective or not suitable and as a result, she has suffered personal injuries, upset, distress, loss, and damage.

She further claims she was provided with an implant device which released shards of metal and or metal ions into her body and there was an alleged failure to exercise any or any reasonable due care and attention in and about the manufacture of the replacement device.

It is further alleged that Ms Kenneally, because of her hip problems, missed out on unique bonding and parenting time and interaction with her daughter, who was born in February 2010.

The claims are denied and DePuy contends the product was not defective. Ms Kenneally also had hip surgery to the right side in 2006 but counsel said this side has been OK.

Opening the case , Mr Reidy said his client was told when Ms Kenneally was a teenager there was no choice but to replace both hips. He said she had the operations but in 2008, she began to have pain in her left hip and there was a clinking clunking sensation. She became pregnant and counsel said she had to wait until after the birth of her daughter to have revision surgery in October 2010.

Three years later, she had to have further revision surgery on the left hip.

The court also heard DePuy recalled its hip implant product in Ireland in August 2010.

The case before Mr Justice Bernard Barton continues today.