San Francisco area patient files DePuy hip replacement recall lawsuit

Wendy R. Fleishman, a partner in the national plaintiffs' law firm Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, announces that Alec MacPhail, of Danville, California, has filed a personal injury lawsuit against DePuy Orthopedics, Inc., and its parent company, Johnson & Johnson, Inc., for manufacturing an allegedly defective prosthetic hip implant device sold under the brand name DePuy ASR XL Acetabular System.

"The DePuy ASR System has had extraordinarily high rates of loosening, failure, and dangerous metal debris release, which caused patients to develop complications necessitating removal of the ASR devices in revision surgeries," stated Fleishman. "A revision surgery is a painful procedure during which some or all of the ASR System components are explanted from the patient's body and replaced with new components."

On June 11, 2007, MacPhail underwent a total hip replacement surgery using the DePuy ASR. Over the following months, the faulty DePuy ASR loosened from MacPhail's acetabulum, caused him severe pain and inhibiting his ability to walk. Eventually a revision surgery was necessary, which was performed on September 8, 2008.

"Not long after surgery I developed squeaking in the hip joint. As time went, the pain became severe and I had to undergo revision surgery. I continue to be in pain even after my revision surgery," stated MacPhail. "The faulty DePuy hip has negatively affected my ability to do my job, my family, and the activities that I had hoped to be able to do again after my original hip replacement."

MacPhail added, "I was a very active guy. I thought I would be back doing all the things I wanted to do, and I haven't been able to do them, including biking and skiing. Even getting out and walking and yard work have become almost dangerous. I think about all the time if this is something I will endure for the rest of my life."