‘Neurological issues’ over hip implant fault

A NUMBER of people fitted with faulty hip implants are experiencing forgetfulness and other “neurological issues”, according to a law firm working on their behalf.

Legal health specialists Malcolmson Law claim some of the 100-plus people, who have contacted them since the worldwide recall in August by DePuy Orthopaedics of two hip replacement implant products, were “starting to see neurological-type issues arising” such as “forgetfulness and other types of consequences”.

Managing partner Raymond Bradley said they were “on a learning curve in relation to what the effects will be”. He said some patients who had been recalled for assessment on foot of being fitted with the faulty implants have been given MRI scans “not just in the location of the hip”, but also MRI scans of the brain.

The recall of the implants — ASR XL Acetabular System and DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System — was carried out on foot of an unusually high proportion of patients requiring a second hip replacement procedure, following implant of these products. Concerns were also expressed that the products had the potential to shed metal shavings into the body because of the metal-on-metal design of the ball and socket.

According to an article published in The US Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, metal-on-metal hip implants may lead to the development of a serious condition known as cobaltism, or excessive levels of the metal cobalt in the bloodstream and body tissues.

Mr Bradley said it was “not beneficial to say the least” to have excess levels of cobalt in the bloodstream. “It’s poisoning. We’re seeing people referred for MRI scans in relation to this.”

He also said many of those fitted with hip implants were young people who were now facing a second replacement at an early stage in their lives, reducing their chances of a third successful replacement in later life.

Mr Bradley will be joined at an invite-only conference in the Gresham Hotel today by Dr Thomas Joyce, an expert in design and evaluation of artificial joints and Mr David Langton, orthopaedic surgeon, where those affected by the recall can learn about legal rights.

Yesterday, the Health Service Executive (HSE) said 2,022 of 3,500 patients affected by the recall had attended for their initial recall appointment and the remainder were scheduled to have attended their recall appointment by the end of January. The HSE said the vast majority would not require further treatment, but a “minority” would require surgery and some surgery had already taken place.

The HSE also said that, as hospitals are concentrating on assessing patients at the current time, “outcome data from initial recall appointments is not available”.