Zimmer Durom Cup

Plaintiffs' Personal Injury Law Firm

Zimmer Durom Cup

The Zimmer Durom Cup is an artificial hip component that has been used in hip replacement surgeries in the US since 2006. It is different from other hip replacement components in that it is made from a single piece of material. However, in April of 2008, Dr. Larry Dorr, an orthopedic surgeon from Los Angeles notified members the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons that some of his patients who had received the Zimmer Durom Cup implant were having problems with it.

His patients had informed him that they were suffering from unexplained pain in their hip area a good three months after surgery. They also felt a loosening of the hip implant. Their conditions required revision surgeries to correct the problems and Dr. Dorr felt that the number of patients that needed a second surgery to correct the problems associated with the implant were higher than should be expected.

Initially, Zimmer Holdings, Inc. dismissed the reports that they were receiving from doctors about problems with the implant. But, in May of 2008, Zimmer decided to conduct an investigation into the Durom Cup problems. Information from over 3,100 cases were carefully reviewed and as a result, Zimmer basically concluded that the average orthopedic surgeon was not trained well enough in the use of this device to handle the surgery.

The company felt that the design of their implant and the technology associated with it required a very high degree of precision and skill during a hip replacement surgery that included the use of their implant. They felt that this specialized technique was not normally a part of the doctor's procedures in hip replacement surgery. Zimmer decided that orthopedic surgeons needed special training and instructions before they operated using the device.

So, in July of 2008, Zimmer suspended sales of the Durom Cup device in the US, but they did not issue a recall. This was because the company's investigation did not find any evidence of defect in the design or manufacturing process of their product. Instead, the company plans to reintroduce the artificial hip implant into the market after they complete the development of a specialized training course, complete with detailed instructions concerning the specific surgical technique that doctors need to follow in order to avoid problems with the implant.

Some 12,000 people in the US have had hip replacement surgery by doctors that used a Zimmer Durom Cup. Many have complained of problems with it and many more could suffer issues with the implant in the future and may need revision surgeries. Zimmer Holdings, Inc. neglected to provide an advanced warning that special training and instructions were needed before their product was implanted. They also failed to provide those instructions before introducing the product into the market.

If you or someone you care about has suffered problems with the Zimmer Durom Cup implant or has had to undergo revision surgery to correct the problem, you may be eligible for compensation. Take a few moments and fill out the Quick Contact form on the home page of this website and let the professional team of lawyers at Napoli Bern Ripka Law Firm fight for your rights.

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