Knee or Ankle Replacement Recall: What to Do?

Who Is Exactech?

Exactech is a medical company that produces inserts and other implants for various joint replacements and surgeries such as:

• Knee
• Hip
• Shoulder
• Ankle

Hospitals and doctor’s offices all over the country use Exactech products for their patients’ surgeries.

Their goal is to give surgeons trust in their equipment and the ability to make their patients more mobile from their surgical implants.

Why Are Exactech Inserts Being Recalled?

In 2021, Exactech began issuing letters to their patients about the possibility of their knee and ankle polyethylene inserts facing a recall.

It was discovered that implants issued after 2004 were facing premature damage to the insert based on its packaging.

Exactech’s knee and ankle replacement inserts are made out of polyethylene, a type of plastic that is made in these medical laboratories to provide ease to joints by providing a ball and socket type of movement.

If a patient is also suffering from arthritis, the polyethylene inserts are supposed to provide relief to that as well.

The reason why these products are being recalled by Exactech is because of the packaging.

Originally, the packaging for these inserts was supposed to be vacuumed-sealed since the polyethylene inserts could degrade from premature oxidization.

Exposure to air prematurely can cause the insert to wear out before it even had the chance to work for the patient.

This early exposure can also cause the patients to have a correction surgery to replace the item long before it should have been replaced.

What Exactech noticed was the packaging for these inserts was not secure as they originally thought.

Because of this issue, over a hundred thousand patients have experienced failures with their inserts and surgeries, leading to more time under hospital care or pain to deal with.

How To Tell If Your Insert Has Failed

It is common to feel some discomfort after joint replacement surgery, but if complications are prolonged, or occur abnormally quickly, it could be a sign that indicates your replacement has failed.

Here are some signs you may experience from an ankle or knee surgery failure:

• Pain in the surgery area
• Swelling
• Instability
• Bone-loss
• Unable to apply weight or pressure
• Decreased function
• Poor alignment

If you suspect that something is not right with your ankle or knee inserts after surgery, you should consult with your doctor to determine the cause.

If you received a letter from Exactech about their recall after undergoing surgery, discuss the possibility with your doctor about your insert failing and what your options are to fix it.

Dangers of an Ankle or Knee Insert Recall

There are potential dangers a patient may face with a failed insert inside of their body.

Not only will patients have to deal with the pain that’s caused by the failed insert, but there’s also the risk of walking around with a defective product in the patient’s system.

An Arkansas Exactech recall lawyer can observe your medical records and claim to indicate how to proceed in your case to make up for the pain and suffering you’ve experienced.

If you have had multiple surgeries or any complications arise as a result of the defective product, you could be entitled to compensation to help offset some of the costs.

Patients who have experienced a failed knee or ankle replacement through Exactech should expect to have at least one other surgery to remove the product and make necessary repairs.

What to Do If Your Knee or Ankle Replacement Was Recalled

If your Exactech knee or ankle replacement was recalled, you should contact a lawyer for mass tort cases immediately to seek justice and to get the compensation you deserve.

You should also schedule an appointment with your doctor to have the surgery site observed for any damages.

Speaking to an Arkansas Exactech recall lawyer can also help identify if you qualify for a lawsuit.

Several Exactech products within their knee and ankle inserts have been identified in the lawsuit recall and your attorney can help you determine if your surgery fits the claim.

Individuals who have filed against Exactech are being grouped together in a mass tort case since their injuries are similar, but each individual is being treated as a separate lawsuit.

Attorneys need to have a solid batch of cases to use against the company to provide how defective the products actually are.

There is no certain timeline for mass tort cases to be settled, but it can take upwards of a year or more for the settlement to be reached.

Since these mass tort cases are within the medical industry, plaintiffs can expect to possibly win large settlements as a result of the defendant’s action.

Contact Your Arkansas Exactech Recall Lawyer Today

It is normal to have a lot of questions regarding your ankle or knee replacement, which is why the attorneys at Keith Law Group are ready to help.

We help with personal injury cases in Rogers, Arkansas for people who need an Exactech recall attorney on their side to navigate this process with them and help them negotiate for the settlement they need.

To get started with your case, call our firm at (479) 326-7734 to speak to one of our lawyers for mass tort cases today.