subject: The Development of Osteoarthritis and the Zimmer NexGen CR-Flex [print this page] The Development of Osteoarthritis and the Zimmer NexGen CR-Flex
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that causes the loss of cartilagewhich acts as a cushion of sorts for the jointsbetween the bones of the sufferer. This loss of cartilage leads to painful bone-on-bone contact in the affected joints. Osteoarthritis is estimated to affect over 21 million Americans and commonly occurs in the hips, knees, feet, hands, and spine. Though it more typically affects males before the age of 50, it becomes more common in females as they approach 60 years old.
The most common cause of osteoarthritis is the regular wear and tear on joints as the sufferer ages. As time goes by, the cartilage in the sufferer's joints degenerates as water gradually fills the cartilage and the protein begins to flake off or form crevasses. There is a genetic component to the formation of osteoarthritis, making it not entirely contingent upon the stress placed on the joint over time, though such stress is typically the number one factor.
When osteoarthritis becomes unusually severe in a sufferer, it can necessitate joint replacement surgery. Such joint replacement surgery is most commonly recommended when osteoarthritis ravages the knee over time and simple tasks such as getting up and walking across the room becomes unbearable. Zimmer has put out several products designed to aid people whose osteoarthritis gets to that level of severity.
In particular, Zimmer hailed the NexGen CR-Flex knee replacement system as the next big step in knee replacement technology. The NexGen CR-Flex was purported to give people who have the implant installed in their knee a greater motion of range than has ever been possible with any other knee replacement system. Zimmer's goal was to allow patients to regain much of the ability to be active that they had prior to surgery. Early tests of the NexGen CR-Flex indicated that Zimmer's developmental team was onto something.
But over the last year, reports of NexGen CR-Flex failures including loosening and the requirement for revision surgery have surfaced. The alleged issue stems from a particular characteristic of the knee implant that allows it to bond to the knee through natural bone ingrowth rather than cement, which is more typical of knee replacement systems. Unfortunately a higher than industry-accepted level of those who sprang for the innovative NexGen CR-Flex have suffered, according to some reports, pain from loosening in their knee replacement system.
Though the company has not issued a Zimmer NexGen Knee Recall for the NexGen CR-Flex knee replacement system as of yet, if more evidence of its purported defectiveness comes to light, then we could see such a move by the company. If you have suffered pain in your knee since installing a Zimmer CR-Flex knee replacement system in your knee you could have a case down the road. Please contact the Rottenstein Law Group, whose attorneys have over 25 years of experience defending their clients' best interests against negligent companies.
