Pittsburgh ATTUNE Knee Replacement Lawsuit

If you experienced complications after knee replacement surgery, the problem might be from a defective ATTUNE Knee System device. An ATTUNE knee replacement lawsuit lawyer can help you pursue damages for your losses.

Call Berger and Green today at (412) 661-1400 to set up your free consultation. We handle these cases on a contingentcy-fee basis, so you will not have to pay upfront legal fees to go after justice for what you have suffered. Our fees come out of the final settlement or award; we do not get paid until you win.

The ATTUNE Knee System

The ATTUNE Knee System has a high rate of complications and outright failures, resulting in many lawsuits against the manufacturer, DePuy Synthes, and its parent company, Johnson & Johnson. The ATTUNE system has far more problems than is standard in the knee replacement industry.

For example, as of June of 2017, the FDA reported 1,400 complaints of the ATTUNE Knee System failing, and about 633 people had to undergo revision surgeries. The Persona product, a competitor, had only 183 reported device failures with 64 of those people needing revision surgeries.

Lawsuits against DePuy allege that the ATTUNE Knee System was defective and that, even after DePuy became aware of the flaws in the device, they continued to sell the product.

Why the ATTUNE Device Has Problems

Lawsuits against DePuy allege that the knee replacement system is incapable of securely connecting the artificial knee to the existing bone. As a result, the components of the artificial knee become loose. The parts slide and migrate, which means that the components move to areas where they should not be. These factors cause the mechanical failure of the artificial knee and extreme pain.

The patients need additional knee surgery, or “revision” surgery, to correct the damage from the defective device. The success of these follow-up procedures is much lower and comes with a higher risk of complications than in a first-time knee replacement.

DePuy Allegedly Hid the Problem

Plaintiffs say that DePuy admitted by conduct that the ATTUNE Knee System was defective and unsafe when DePuy redesigned the device to correct the problems that caused the initial ATTUNE system failures. Although DePuy knew the device had significant flaws, they continued to sell the original ATTUNE Knee System while they designed and manufactured the revised device.

Lawsuits allege that DePuy failed to warn surgeons or consumers about the defects or recall the original defective systems. DePuy allowed surgeons to surgically implant the knee replacement devices into patients, even though DePuy knew that significant numbers of those people would suffer adverse outcomes.

Damages for ATTUNE Knee System Failure

People suing DePuy and Johnson & Johnson are seeking both compensatory and punitive damages. The plaintiffs accuse the defendants of:

Negligence
Failure to provide adequate warnings of defects
Breach of express warranty
Breach of implied warranty
Negligent misrepresentation
Fraud
Violating state laws that protect consumers
Loss of consortium

The damages you can pursue a failed ATTUNE Knee System will depend on the facts of your case. Speak with an ATTUNE knee replacement lawsuit lawyer with Berger and Green to discuss the specifics of your situation by calling at (412) 661-1400.

Orthopedic Surgeons Unmask the ATTUNE Knee System

An article in the “Orthopedic Design & Technology” magazine says that orthopedic surgeons experienced an unusually high rate of premature failures when they used the ATTUNE Knee System. The surgeons reported that the interface of the cement and the tibial implant debonds, or comes apart, in the ATTUNE device. When this component comes apart, another part loosens, causing the destabilization of the entire artificial knee.

Symptoms of ATTUNE Knee System premature failure include:

Persistent pain
Unusual swelling
Decreased range of motion
Instability and loosening of the knee joint

FDA Recalls of ATTUNE Devices

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued multiple recalls of DePuy ATTUNE knee replacement devices. Some of the recalls include:

On June 12, 2015, DePuy initiated an urgent recall of all 42,645 units of its “ATTUNE FB CR ARTICULATION SURFACE SIZE 3-8” device. The instrument could get damaged and come apart during surgery. One of the parts, a small wire spring coil, could enter the surgical site and get left behind in the patient accidentally.
On June 12, 2015, DePuy issued an urgent recall of all 14,756 units of its “ATTUNE CONV FB CR TRL SZ3-10” device for the same problem with the device coming apart during surgery and causing a small wire coil spring to fall into the incision and get left behind inside the patient.
On June 12, 2015, DePuy issued an urgent recall that affected all 3,474 units of its “ATTUNE CONV FB CR ARTICULATION SURFACE SZ1” devices worldwide. The reason for the recall was that a small wire spring coil had the potential to become damaged and come off. The item could enter the surgical site and get left inside the patient’s leg inadvertently.
On March 16, 2012, DePuy initiated an urgent recall of all 136 units of its “ATTUNE Impaction Handle Warsaw.” The FDA determined that the device had a design defect that could cause the handle trigger to break during surgery.
On November 10, 2014, DePuy issued an urgent recall of all 7,944 units of its “ATTUNE INTUITION” device. The FDA found that the device had a design defect that caused the device to fracture during surgery, resulting in broken pieces of the device or the innerspring falling into the patient’s incision and being left in the patient accidentally.
On April 16, 2018, DePuy initiated a recall notice on its “ATTUNE Revision CRS Femoral LT SZ 5 Cemented” device because of possible burrs on the extraction hole threads.
On October 14, 2015, DePuy issued an urgent recall of all 3,082 of its “ATTUNE Intuition Distal Femoral Jig” device because of incorrect assembly, which could cause displacement and fracture of the components.
There were additional recalls of different sizes of some of the devices listed above, involving massive numbers of defective items.

Getting Legal Help for a Failed ATTUNE Knee Replacement

You might be facing tens of thousands of dollars of medical bills, long-term impairment of your knee, and loss of your mobility if you have experienced a failed knee replacement, an ATTUNE Knee Replacement Lawsuit lawyer can help. Call Berger and Green today at (412) 661-1400 to arrange your free consultation.