Durom Cup Hip Replacement

Zimmer Durom Cup History and Report of Problems

Zimmer is group of companies involved in the musculoskeletal health market, including the manufacture, sale and distribution of orthopedic reconstructive, spinal and trauma devices, dental implants and related orthopedic surgical products, including hip implants. In July, 2008, it suspended sales of its Durom Hip Resurfacing System in the United States after physicians raised issue on the high failure rate with the hip replacement system. Early that year, a noted orthopedic surgeon in Los Angles, California, Dr. Lawrence Dorr, issued a public warning to other orthopedic surgeons regarding his patients having a high failure rate with the cup or hip socket component of the Durom hip replacement system. His concerns and those of others were reported on by the New York Times in late July.   The reported problem was the failure of the Durom cup to fuse with the pelvis and allowing it would migrate out of place.

Suspension of Durom Cup Sales

In response to physician and patient complaints of Durom cup failures, Zimmer suspended sales of the product in July, 2008. However, no formal recall through the Food and Drug Agency was undertaken. Zimmer took steps to complete a study of results of a number of Durom implant patients. Zimmer concluded that there was no defect with its Durom cup or hip replacement products but that the failures that had been experienced were due to physicians not properly placing the hip replacement system and completing a hip replacement surgery. Zimmer concluded that it needed to provide better education and information to orthopedic surgeons to meet the more precise surgical procedures required with the Zimmer system than those used with previous hip replacements. Doctors have disagreed with the findings of the Zimmer study. In commenting on the Durom cup, Dr. Dorr stated: “It is a bad design,” and added: “I saw one of Zimmer’s engineers at a meeting, and I told her that you should pull this cup because you are crippling patients.” Doctors in the United States and Europe have expressed that the failures seen with the Durom cup are not due to physician technique, but due to inadequate product design. Doctors throughout both locales have stopped using the Zimmer Durom Cup system.

Durom Cup Litigation

Law suits have been filed across the United States by patients claiming to have suffered a failure of a Zimmer Durom Cup implant. Apart from patient claims, a class action was filed on behalf of shareholders of Zimmer stock regarding the handling and issues arising from the Durom Cup product.  A Multidistrict Litigation proceeding is now pending in the federal district court in New Jersey to handle the patient claims.

Durom Hip Replacement Complications – Contact Foley & Small

We’ve handled various cases involving defective medical implants. We are experienced in handling such defective medical product claims both in federal and in state courts. We are dedicated to helping women and men who are dealing with symptoms and losses and heart ache that comes from dealing with defective Durom hip replacement systems. If you or a family member or friend is suffering from complications from a Durom hip replacement, contact Foley & Small.

You can call Foley & Small on our toll free number 800-276-2525, you can email us or you can complete new client contact form located to the upper right column of this page. A member of our office will contact you and we can begin steps to evaluate your case and provide needed help.