subject: New Study Provides Further Evidence of NexGen's Defect [print this page] New Study Provides Further Evidence of NexGen's Defect
Justin Zimmer founded Zimmer Holdings in 1926 in Warsaw, Indiana. The company started off selling an aluminum-lined splint, which quickly became one of the most popular splints on the market at the time of its release. Since then, the company has grown exponentially, offering 100,000 products in 100 countries, bringing in revenue upwards of $4 billion each year. Unfortunately, Zimmer has recently made press for the wrong reasons. There is mounting evidence that the NexGen CR-Flex, one of its most popular knee replacement systems, is defective.
One study conducted by a reputable surgeon from the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago showed that the failure rate of the NexGen CR-Flex was well above industry averages in the subjects of the study. The study, presented to the March 2010 national conference of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, showed that the CR-Flex system had failed in nine percent of the subjects of the study after just a few years. By knee replacement device standards, this is well above the accepted rate for the timeframe over which the study was conducted.
A more recent study regarding knee replacement systems may have set a new standard that would cast the results of the Rush University study in an even more negative light. Orthopedic surgeon Dr. John Meding followed up with 128 participants who had knee replacement surgery between 1975 and 1989 and found that most were still living pain free with their knee replacement systems. This study indicates that the widely believed idea that a knee replacement system should last 15 years is a bit too conservative. Dr. Meding's study suggests that such devices could be expected to last over 20 years.
The Zimmer NexGen Recall or knee replacement system, which was introduced in 2003, appears to fall well below that standard. The apparent issue stems from the way the implant bonds to the thigh bone in the patient through natural ingrowth rather than cement, as most knee implants typically do. As a result of the alleged defect, patients are suffering from loosening, pain, and often required to go back for a second surgery to fix the problem. This is unacceptable for a product that was just introduced in 2003, and if Zimmer is to blame, then people suffering from such a problem will be entitled to restitution.
If you have suffered pain from your NexGen CR-Flex knee replacement system, you may have a case against Zimmer. The first step in determining if you do is to contact the Rottenstein Law Group, whose lawyers have a strong record of taking on negligent companies on behalf of clients that have been harmed by defective products. For a free consultation with RLG, you can refer to this site: http://www.zimmernexgenkneerecall.com/
