The dangers of hip revision surgery include the same dangers of hip replacement surgery.

Possible risks for hip replacement surgery can include, but are not limited to:

  • Blood clots: because you are inactive after hip replacement surgery, blood clots can for in your legs.
  • Infection: ranging from mild to severe, infections can occur where tissue was disrupted during surgery.  This can be at the incision site on the skin or deep within the body, at the site of implantation.
  • Dislocation: the ball portion of the implant, connected to the femur with a stem, can dislocate from the cup implanted on the pelvis.  In order to use the join properly, it will need to be realigned and repeated dislocations may require surgery to properly fix.
  • Leg length discrepancies: because an implant is being attached to existing bones, it is possible that one leg may be longer than the other after surgery.  This can affect muscles surrounding the joint and lead to instability until the area is strengthened with training.
  • Loosening: because a device is being fitted to your bone, over time the implant may become loosened.  Implants are placed using cement or an adhesive coating that can, over time, loosen.
  • Wear and tear: over time, all implants experience wear and tear from movement.  Currently, the average implant is expected to last 15-20 years.  Regardless of the material used (metal, plastic, ceramic) the motion of the joint will wear the surface down and, for patients that are young and active when initially given an implant, will need a second “revision” surgery.

Although revision surgeries are similar to the initial implant surgery, revision surgeries carry their own unique risks and complications in addition to the above complications,:

  • The surgery itself tends to be more complicated, last longer, and have longer recovery periods.  The initial implant and surgery affect the bones where the implant was anchored.  Replacing the implant, as well as general wear and tear, often weaken the bone.  This makes attaching a new implant more complicated and can increase the chance of the implant loosening or dislocating.
  • The range of motion a patient experiences after a revision surgery tends to be smaller than with the initial replacement.
  • The lifespan on revision implants are shorter than the expected life span on first time hip implants, closer to 8-10 years.
  • The mortality rate in revision surgery is around 2.5 percent, whereas the initial surgery is only about 1 percent.

If you were implanted with the Rejuvenate Modular-Neck Hip System and have suffered complications, you may require revision surgery to correct them.  You may also be entitled to compensation. Please call the proven personal injury lawyers at Estey and Bomberger at (800) 672-1036 to discuss and protect your legal rights.