A recall of defective artificial joints has put hundreds of thousands of older adults’ health in flux and could result in costly new surgeries.
Since artificial joint manufacturer Exactech first began “quietly” recalling its artificial knees, hips and ankles beginning in late 2021, more than 1,000 patients have sued the company as the prospect of new surgeries or complications becomes a reality.
Certain plastic components of the limbs wear prematurely, which affects 140,000 individuals, a KFF story notes.
Many who opt for new surgery will end up in assisted living communities or nursing homes for rehabilitation, and current residents of long-term care facilities who are affected could have new, and costly, care management needs.
Some common complications that people experience post-surgery include pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, heartbeat irregularities, pneumonia, sepsis and urinary tract infection, the McKnight’s Clinical Daily has reported.
Operators concerned about defective or faulty devices used by residents — or in the case of joint replacements, inside them — always can consult the US Food and Drug Administration’s searchable database of flagged items.
Joint replacement is becoming more common, with approximately 2.4 million surgeries for knee and hip replacements taking place between 2012 and 2020, according to one study. The average age for hip or knee replacement surgeries is 66 and 67 years old, respectively.
Most implants are meant to last for about a decade before needing to be replaced, the KFF story noted.
For people with faulty implants, the result is not just increased pain and decreased quality of life but also possible depression and anxiety from the fallout, including weariness over the prospect of another surgery and lengthy rehab process, those affected said in the article.
The recall has been ongoing, with Exactech writing to surgeons last year that a knee component it sold since 2004 could have parts that are “out-of-specification.” The long delay in notifying those affected, or tracking the issues, is a big component of the lawsuits, which currently are moving through the court system.
