(Fort Worth, Texas)… Parker McDonald P.C., a Texas law firm representing plaintiffs seeking remedies for medical issues arising from the failure of metal-on-metal hip implant devices, is hopeful upon hearing the recent news of the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of a new ceramic-on-metal total hip replacement from DePuy Orthopaedics, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.

    The newly approved Pinnacle CoMplete Acetabular Hip System is the first ceramic-on-metal total artificial hip system for patients with osteoarthritis. 

As the FDA’s news release explains, “…previous total hip replacement systems cleared or approved by FDA have used different combinations of metal, ceramic and polyethylene (a form of plastic).”

    Parker McDonald is hopeful the Pinnacle CoMplete will be a new, reliable option for those patients requiring hip implant surgery and will be free of the problems plaguing patients implanted with the DePuy ASR or the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System. The firm represents patients with claims originating because of two DePuy hip replacement systems: the defective ASR XL Acetabular metal-on-metal hip replacement system, which was recalled in August of 2010 and the other is the Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System.

    As a condition of FDA approval of the Pinnacle CoMplete system, DePuy is required to conduct a post market study, monitoring patients receiving the Pinnacle CoMplete system for adverse events and metal ion concentrations in their blood.

    Parker McDonald notes that many patients who received the recalled DePuy metal-on-metal ASR device and the metal-on-metal Pinnacle device have experienced complications including severe pain, implant loosening, and early failure. Additionally, as the metal-on-metal surfaces rub together, the implant may deteriorate, resulting in the release of the toxic metals chromium and cobalt into the blood; such blood poisoning can lead to heart complications, death of tissue in the hip joint, and loss of surrounding bone, and, eventually, create more problems if an additional hip surgery is required, according to Parker McDonald.

    Parker McDonald, P.C. represents DePuy hip implant patients across the country and has established www.hipimplantrecovery.com to provide the latest information for concerned DePuy ASR and Pinnacle hip implant patients and their families. The firm has offices in five Texas cities and is accessible via Twitter and Facebook. Website is www.ParkerMcDonaldLaw.com

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