Status of the DePuy ASR Litigation

The DePuy ASR hip implant received FDA approval in 2005, yet merely five years later the device was being recalled due to the excessively high failure rate of the implant. The ASR is an all-metal hip implant which is constructed of cobalt and chromium. When the metal ball rubs against the metal acetabular cup during periods of activity, tiny metal ions are released into the body, becoming lodged in the surrounding tissues or entering into the bloodstream. Although DePuy’s Pinnacle hip implant has suffered some of the same problems, it has not yet been recalled. The ASR was recalled in August of 2010, and lawsuits began flooding in soon after.

The DePuy ASR Hip: Even if You Have No Pain,You Should Consult With an Attorney

The failure rate of the DePuy ASR hip implant system was stated by the company at the time of the August, 2010 recall as being 12%--high for hip implants under any circumstances. A 2011 article in PubMed.gov, however, placed the failure rate of the ASR resurfacing implant at 25% at six years and 48.8% at six years for the ASR total hip replacement system.

Primary Differences between the DePuy ASR and the DePuy Pinnacle Hip Implant

Like many of the metal-on-metal hip implant systems, the DePuy ASR and the DePuy Pinnacle have had their share of problems. The Pinnacle gained FDA approval in 2000, and has not been recalled despite adverse reports of failure and metal toxicity. The ASR was approved in 2005 and spent only five years on the market prior to being recalled in August of 2010.