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What ATTUNE KNEE REPLACEMENTS Is Used For?

Problems with the Attune Knee

The Attune knee implant has been used in more than 400,000 procedures since the FDA approved it in 2010, making it one of the most popular systems on the market. However, reports now show it can experience early failure or de-bonding, requiring painful revision surgery years before the typical lifespan. While there is no official DePuy knee replacement recall, the company has changed the design and is offering a knee replacement system for revision surgeries.

De-bonding occurs when the glue that holds the implant to the patient’s upper or lower leg becomes detached. In the case of the Attune knee, this is due to a questionable design whereby the surface of the implant is smoother than normal, making adherence difficult.

According to the FDA’s Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database, more than 1,400 patients have experienced failure problems with their DePuy Attune knee replacement. Of these, more than 650 required repeat surgery.

In addition, a study in the June issue elayed doctors’ specific concerns at the high rate of Attune knee failures. For example, a review found 15 cases of tibial loosening at just three area hospitals, plus 21 cases of detachment filed with the FDA in a span of just 2 months.

Most knee replacement implants are designed to last from 12 to 20 years. For a procedure requiring up to 5 days of hospital stay and as long as 1 year for full recovery, early failure and the need for repeat surgery can be devastating.

HOW ATTUNE KNEE REPLACEMENTS WORKS?

The process requires the a surgeon to remove the damaged cartilage and the knee bone. The doctor then places metal implants on the ends of the thigh and calf bones. A plastic spacer passes between the metal parts and helps the new seal move smoothly.

SYMPTOMS & SIDE EFFECTS OF ATTUNE KNEE REPLACEMENTS

Signs and symptoms of DePuy Attune implant failure include:

  • Joint stiffness
  • Severe or throbbing pain
  • Inflammation
  • infection
  • Joint instability
  • Heat or heat in the knee joint
  • Loosening, dislocation and dissociation of the device
  • Redness of the skin at the surgical site

Latest ATTUNE KNEE REPLACEMENTS News & Recalls

Latest news on DePuy Attune knee implant.

2017 Dec 11
First federal lawsuit filed in Mississippi U.S. District Court by a woman who underwent a revision surgery to replace a loosened Attune implant.
2017 Sept 18
First lawsuit is filed on behalf of a patient who suffered failure of their Attune knee implant in Alabama Circuit Court.
2017 June 14
DePuy Synthes response to JKS study admits the roughness factor of Attune tibial base plate may be three times higher than comparable Sigma tibial base plate.
2017 June 7
Report in the Journal of Knee Surgery notes an unusually high risk of de-bonding or bone detachment with Attune knee implants, after review of FDA records.
2016 Dec 1
DePuy/J&J announces positive results of Australian and U.K. studies showing higher success with Attune implants than other models, with only .5% of patients needing revision after one year.
2015 June 1
The FDA issues a recall of the Attune Tibial Articulation Surface Instrument, a tool used during implantation of the Attune knee, due to risks that coils may become detached and be left in the body after surgery.
2013 Apr 3
DePuy launched Attune knee implant system following six years of product research and development.
1974
The first modern knee replacement device is developed and implanted in a patient by a team of doctors at New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery.

Lawsuits & Settlements

DePuy Attune Class Action Lawsuit

In September 2017, lawyers filed the firston behalf of a woman who had received a de-bonded Attune knee replacement and subsequently required new implant surgery in Alabama state court.

Soon after, a case was filed in Federal District Court for a Mississippi woman who also underwent revision surgery due to her failed implant.

Due to the similarity of these cases and the numerous ones that have been filed since, lawyers will ask that they be consolidated to a DePuy Attune knee class action or multidistrict litigation lawsuit.

This procedure, which has been used in the past for defective or recalled medical devices, allows the manufacturer to defend itself in one court, while plaintiffs can share pre-trial evidence and resources. However, unlike a traditional class action lawsuit, they can keep their cases separate. It usually results in quicker resolution of claims and higher awards for plaintiffs than had all the lawsuits been filed in separate courts.

There is no information yet on where lawyers will seek to consolidate the DePuy Attune cases.

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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Depuy Attune knee lawsuit: Who will qualify?

Lawyers are focusing on cases for those patients that experienced early failure, de-bonding or loosening of their knee implant. This includes anyone who has undergone early revision surgery for their implant. However, many people may have suffered these complications without even knowing it.

For example, in the June 2017 Journal of Knee Surgery report, doctors discussed 15 cases of Attune de-bonding. However, in 13 of these cases, doctors didn’t discover this was the reason their patients experienced discomfort until they performed surgery. In only 2 of the cases did the de-bonding show up on x-rays.

Although patients may not know the full extent of their problems without an x-ray or surgery, there are certain side effects they can look for that may signal a knee implant failure.

These include:

  • Constant pain
  • Inflammation or swelling
  • Blood clots
  • Instability
  • Bone loss
  • Infection
  • Trouble walking
  • Reduced knee bending
  • Numbness
  • Increased temperature in the knee.

To know for sure if you’ve suffered implant de-bonding and whether you qualify for a lawsuit, you must first notify your doctor of your symptoms and try to determine the cause. It is important to then speak with a lawyer who will thoroughly review your records and file a claim.

Fortunately, it costs nothing to investigate your case or file a lawsuit unless you later receive an award.

2. How much are Depuy Attune knee lawsuits worth?

If you’ve already undergone revision surgery for a loosened implant or need it in the future, your lawyer will seek compensation for:

  • All past medical costs
  • Medical costs to cover the expense of future treatment needs like revision surgery, therapy, rehabilitation, other resulting injuries and infections
  • All lost earnings due to your implant failure
  • Pain and suffering you experienced from your de-bonded implant and the process of undergoing a repeat procedure and recovery
  • Any costs you incurred to hire others to perform duties you couldn’t accomplish because of your disability
  • Punitive damages against the manufacturer if it is found that they negligently designed and marketed their product, as well as failing to warn of the dangers.

All together, these damages can add up to significant amounts. In the past, verdicts and settlements for knee replacement lawsuits have reached well into the six figures.

The value of your lawsuit will depend on a number of factors; therefore it’s important to discuss your case with a lawyer.

1. Depuy Attune knee lawsuit: Who will qualify?

Lawyers are focusing on cases for those patients that experienced early failure, de-bonding or loosening of their knee implant. This includes anyone who has undergone early revision surgery for their implant. However, many people may have suffered these complications without even knowing it.

For example, in the June 2017 Journal of Knee Surgery report, doctors discussed 15 cases of Attune de-bonding. However, in 13 of these cases, doctors didn’t discover this was the reason their patients experienced discomfort until they performed surgery. In only 2 of the cases did the de-bonding show up on x-rays.

Read More

Although patients may not know the full extent of their problems without an x-ray or surgery, there are certain side effects they can look for that may signal a knee implant failure.

These include:

  • Constant pain
  • Inflammation or swelling
  • Blood clots
  • Instability
  • Bone loss
  • Infection
  • Trouble walking
  • Reduced knee bending
  • Numbness
  • Increased temperature in the knee.

To know for sure if you’ve suffered implant de-bonding and whether you qualify for a lawsuit, you must first notify your doctor of your symptoms and try to determine the cause. It is important to then speak with a lawyer who will thoroughly review your records and file a claim.

Fortunately, it costs nothing to investigate your case or file a lawsuit unless you later receive an award.

2. How much are Depuy Attune knee lawsuits worth?

If you’ve already undergone revision surgery for a loosened implant or need it in the future, your lawyer will seek compensation for:

Read More

  • All past medical costs
  • Medical costs to cover the expense of future treatment needs like revision surgery, therapy, rehabilitation, other resulting injuries and infections
  • All lost earnings due to your implant failure
  • Pain and suffering you experienced from your de-bonded implant and the process of undergoing a repeat procedure and recovery
  • Any costs you incurred to hire others to perform duties you couldn’t accomplish because of your disability
  • Punitive damages against the manufacturer if it is found that they negligently designed and marketed their product, as well as failing to warn of the dangers.

All together, these damages can add up to significant amounts. In the past, verdicts and settlements for knee replacement lawsuits have reached well into the six figures.

The value of your lawsuit will depend on a number of factors; therefore it’s important to discuss your case with a lawyer.

HOW TO FILE A CLAIM

Do you want to learn if you have a case? The lawsuits are being filed on behalf of those patients who:

  • Joint stiffness
  • Severe or throbbing pain
  • Inflammation
  • infection
  • Joint instability
  • Heat or heat in the knee joint
  • Loosening, dislocation and dissociation of the device
  • Redness of the skin at the surgical site

Lawyers expect that thousands of patients will ultimately come forward with injuries to file claims. As is often the case with drug injury lawsuits, cases may eventually be consolidated in a central federal court for expedited handling.

A lawyer can speak with you today to determine if your case qualifies, and it costs nothing to investigate or file your claim unless you receive compensation.

Do you have a case?

Speak with someone today who can help!