53 patients affected by faulty hip implant recall
In addition, a number of patients have been referred for repeat blood tests or MRI scans and depending on the outcome, the figure for the numbers requiring new hip replacements may increase, according to the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Approximately 3,500 people in Ireland were fitted with the faulty metal ball and socket device, recalled by DePuy Orthopaedics last August, after it was found to fail early in some patients.
Some legal firms representing patients affected by the recall have raised concerns that the products — ASR XL Acetabular System and DePuy ASR Hip Resurfacing System — have the potential to shed metal shavings into the body because of the metal- on-metal design of the ball and socket, leading to a condition known as cobaltism, or excessive levels of the metal cobalt in the bloodstream and body tissues.
In response to queries from the Irish Examiner, the HSE said blood tests to measure levels of cobalt and chromium were offered to patients. This was “to assist, in conjunction with other tests — clinical examination X-rays and MRI — in determining how the metal implants were wearing”, the HSE said, adding that the blood tests were part of the overall assessment of the patients. However the HSE said it has had “no reports of blood poisoning”.
Legal health specialists Malcolmson Law, which represents some of the affected patients, believes up to six in 10 of those fitted with faulty hip implants will face replacement surgery in the future, based on experts’ analysis.
All 3,500 patients affected were due to have attended recall appointments by the end of January. DePuy has promised to cover the costs of any medical treatment needed by patients who received the implants.
Experts said those most at risk of suffering complications are people who were fitted with ASR heads below 50mm in diameter and female patients. However the HSE said age and gender profiles for those involved in the recall were not available and that data was supplied “on an anonymised basis on data protection grounds”.
