Osteonecrosis is a bone disease usually linked with the large joints—hips, knees, ankles or shoulders. Also referred as bone necrosis , it eventually leads to weakening severe pain. This is a rather rare disease diagnosed in approximately 1 in 20,000 people every year. Anyway, the Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is proposing that patients be given lifetime hip replacement checkups , as reported by the Reuters.

Osteonecrosis gradually leads into permanent blood loss supply to the bones which results in the total collapse of bones and the death of bone tissue.

Approximately, there 10,000 to 20,000 new cases of osteonecrosis each year in the United States. Most of which occur as a result of bone injury like a fracture or dislocation.

A 2007 study by University of British Columbia and the Vancouver Health Research Institute found out that upon bisphosphonate intake, the risk of developing bone necrosis orosteonecrosis are tripled. 

Hip replacement surgery, as treatment for osteonecrosis, should be watched out by patients.

 The perils of metal-on-metal hip surgeries was featured earlier on theNew York Times. The article was entitled “Remedy Is Elusive as Metallic Hips Fail at Fast Rate.” It discusses about how the surgery leaves metal debris that harms the tissues in the hip region.

One doctor commented to the Times report that “As surgeons here sliced through tissue surrounding a failed artificial hip in a 53-year-old man, they discovered what looked like a biological dead zone. There were matted strands of tissue stained gray and black; a large strip of muscle near the hip no longer contracted.”

Specifically, in the case of Johnson & Johnson, there are around 93,000 recipients of the ASR XL Acetabular System and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System worldwide.  Following the release of data showing defectiveness in one out of eight patients to whom they were implanted, the two device models were pulled back.

 Medical specialists say that eventually, patients can encountermetallosis, implant failure, bone loss, tissue damage and other hip surgery problems. Among the symptoms of flawed hip devices are pain on the hip area, pain on the thigh or groin area, pain while walking, pain when rising from a seated position, pain bearing weight and swelling.

For those who encounter any doubts and queries about their hip replacement surgery, a physician must be consulted as soon as possible.

Legal observers say that the DePuy hip recall should be an example to other manufacturing companies to ensure safety of their products. With the number of  hip replacement lawsuit increasing worldwide, DePuy should properly face the the hip replacement problems encountred by its clients.  It needs to disseminate more information about defective hip replacement symptoms so that the patients would be given immediate medical attention.

Katherine Russel is a writer and researcher specializing in medical updates. For her current major subject, she is focusing on hip and other joint problems. Her current articles mostly covers the topics on hip pain treatments like the hip replacement surgeries.

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