What is the Wright Conserve Hip Replacement?
Wright Medical Technology Inc. manufactures the Conserve, a metal-on-metal implant used in total hip replacement surgery. The Conserve is designed with an all-metal “ball-and-socket” design, in which a metal femoral head that pivots inside a metal acetabular cup. It was approved with a 510(k) application, which allows manufacturers to introduce new devices without conducting safety studies so long as it is “substantially equivalent” to another product already on the market.
Types of Conserve hip replacements:
- Conserve Total Hip Replacement System
- Conserve Plus Total Resurfacing Hip System
- Conserve Femoral Hip Surface Replacement
- Conserve Total A-Class Advanced Metal Hip Implant System
- Conserve Resurfacing System
Wright Conserve Lawsuits
Lawsuits involving the Wright Conserve hip replacements were centralized in a Multi-District Litigation (MDL) in February 2012. Within two years, 75 lawsuits have been transferred into the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia before Judge William S. Duffey, Jr.
Wright Conserve MDL No. 2329:
- In re: Wright Medical Technology, Inc., Conserve Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation
What is the problem?
Many experts now recommend against using all-metal hip replacements. A study published in 2012 by the Lancet found that, on average, 6% of metal-on-metal hips failed within five years, which was two- to three-times higher than metal-on-plastic or metal-on-ceramic. Researchers warned:
“[Metal-on-metal hip implants] give poor implant survival compared with other options and should not be implanted. All patients with these bearings should be carefully monitored, particularly young women implanted with large diameter heads.”
Metal-on-Metal Hip Replacement Risks & Complications
Most claims allege that the metal-on-metal design of the Wright Conserve is defective because it generates high levels of metal debris, causing metallosis (metal poisoning) in the surrounding tissue. Local tissue reactions can include pain, swelling, inflammation, soft-tissue growths (pseudo-tumors), bone loss, and tissue death. According to the FDA, metallosis can also cause systemic reactions in other areas of the body. These side effects can lead to premature failure (including loosening of the acetabular cup) and require revision surgery.
Wright Conserve Side Effects
- Hip pain
- Swelling, inflammation
- Dislocation, looseness, or instability
- Bone loss (osteolysis)
- Tissue necrosis
- Bone fracture
- Bursal cyst
- Pseudo-tumors (soft-tissue growths)
- Metallosis (metal poisoning)
- Corrosion of hip implant
- Failure in less than five years
- Revision surgery
- Permanent disability
- General hypersensitivity reactions (skin rash)
- Cardiomyopathy
- Neurological changes
- Hearing or vision loss
- Psychological changes
- Depression
- Cognitive impairment
- Kidney function impairment
- Thyroid dysfunction (neck discomfort, fatigue, weight gain, feeling cold)
- And more
Need More Info?
Please visit our Wright Conserve FAQ page if you’d like more information about these topics.
Do I have a Wright Conserve Hip Class Action Lawsuit?
The Product Liability & Defective Medical Device Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus on the representation of plaintiffs in Wright Conserve hip implant lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new cases in all 50 states.
Free Wright Conserve Hip Class Action Lawsuit Evaluation: Again, if you or a loved one was injured by a defective hip replacement, you should contact our law firm immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit and we can help.