If you or a loved one suffered injury or complications from a recalled Exactech knee, hip or ankle replacement implant device, you may be entitled to recover compensation from an Exactech recall lawsuit case or settlement claim.
A team of medical device injury lawyers and class action attorneys is investigating potential Exactech lawsuit cases and settlement claims of patients who claim to have suffered injuries or complications from an Exactech knee, hip or ankle replacement implant device.
An ankle, hip or knee replacement (also called a total knee arthroplasty, total ankle arthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty) is a surgery to repair or fix a knee, hip or ankle that is damaged, worn out or diseased by replacing it with a knee, hip or ankle implant, prosthesis, or artificial joint. Ankle, knee and hip replacement surgery is often needed due to fracture, arthritis or osteonecrosis.
In February of 2022 it was reported that Exactech was recalling all Exactech knee and ankle arthroplasty Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) inserts implanted in the U.S. since 2004 (approximately 147,732 inserts) due to possible oxidation and degradation of polyethylene insert components and the potential for accelerated wear debris and bone loss, component fatigue cracking or fracture, and corrective revision knee or ankle surgery.
On June 28, 2021, a product safety alert was issued regarding the polyethylene liner used in the Exactech Connexion GXL hip systems. In August 2022, the recall was expanded to include additional Connexion GXL hip liners and other polyethylene liners.
Exactech Recall Lawsuit Cases
Exactech recall lawsuit and settlement cases potentially being investigated include claims of patients who had a recalled Exactech hip implant, knee implant, or ankle implant devices surgically implanted and subsequently suffered injury or complications including, among others:
- Knee revision surgery
- Ankle revision surgery
- Hip revision surgery
- Revision knee, ankle or hip replacement
- Corrective revision surgery to repair knee or ankle implant
- Knee implant failure
- Ankle implant failure
- Hip implant failure
- Loosening of implant
- Fracture or cracking of implant
- New or worsening pain in knee, ankle or hip
- Inability to bear weight
- Grinding noise in knee
- Swelling in knee, hip or ankle
- Instability in knee, hip or ankle
- Difficulty walking
- Bone loss (osteolysis)
- Bone grafting
- Other hip, ankle or knee implant injury
Exactech lawsuits filed in federal district courts have been consolidated and/or transferred into an MDL (multidistrict litigation) for coordinated pretrial proceedings, styled In Re: Exactech Polyethylene Orthopedic Products Liability Litigation, MDL Case No. 3044, Eastern District of New York (Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis).
The Exactech lawsuit complaints allege, among other things, that oxidation of the moderately cross-linked polyethylene used in the Exactech hip, knee and ankle devices causes inflammatory responses when implanted, generates polyethylene debris, crack, and loosen the device, all of which in turn requires revision surgery.
Exactech Lawsuit & Settlement Updates
Recent updates about Exactech lawsuits and settlements include:
- January 2024: As of January 2, 2024 there were more than 1,000 Exactech lawsuit cases filed in the federal Exactech MDL lawsuit.
Exactech Recall Injury Claims
Exactech recall injury claims potentially being investigated include claims involving the following recalled Exactech knee, ankle and hip implant systems, components and inserts:
- OPTETRAK® All-polyethylene CR Tibial Components
- OPTETRAK® All-polyethylene PS Tibial Components
- OPTETRAK® CR Tibial Inserts
- OPTETRAK® CR Slope Tibial Inserts
- OPTETRAK® PS Tibial Inserts
- OPTETRAK® HI-FLEX® PS Tibial Inserts
- OPTETRAK Logic® CR Tibial Inserts
- OPTETRAK Logic® CR Slope Tibial Inserts
- OPTETRAK Logic® CRC Tibial Inserts
- OPTETRAK Logic® PS Tibial Inserts
- OPTETRAK Logic® PSC Tibial Inserts
- OPTETRAK Logic® CC Tibial Inserts
- TRULIANT® CR Tibial Inserts
- TRULIANT® CR Slope Tibial Inserts
- TRULIANT® CRC Tibial Inserts
- TRULIANT® PS Tibial Inserts
- TRULIANT® PSC Tibial Inserts
- VANTAGE® Fixed-Bearing Liner Component
- ACUMATCH GXL Hip Liners
- MCS GXL Hip Liners
- NOVATION GXL Hip Liners
- EXACTECH ALL POLYETHYLENE CEMENTED CUP Hip Liners
- ACUMATCH CONVENTIONAL UHMWPE Hip Liners
- MCS CONVENTIONAL UHMWPE Hip Liners
- NOVATION CONVENTIONAL UHWMPE Hip Liners
According to the Exactech recall letter and notices, the recalled Exactech polyethylene inserts may have been packaged in out-of-specification or non-conforming vacuum bags without a secondary barrier layer containing ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) to augment oxygen resistance, which could allow oxygen from the air to diffuse into the insert prior to it being implanted in the knee , hip or ankle, leading to a process known as oxidation that can cause the insert to wear out earlier than expected or to become damaged after it is implanted into a patient’s body.
The recalled Exactech tibial polyethylene (plastic) insert is the plastic component that fits between the femoral component and tibial component and acts as a new cushion or cartilage for a replaced knee joint or that fits between the tibial component and the talar component and acts as a new cushion or cartilage for a replaced ankle joint.
It has been suggested that the recalled knee, hip and ankle components may be associated with statistically significant higher (and earlier) than expected revision rates, potential development of osteolysis (bone loss) and increased risk of polyethylene wear, device loosening, device fracture, mechanical failure, pain, or recurrent swelling.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries or complications from an Exactech hip replacement, knee replacement or ankle implant, you may be entitled to recover compensation from an Exactech recall lawsuit case or settlement claim. Contact an implant injury lawyer to request a free case review.
*If you or a loved one are experiencing health issues, side effects or complications from a medical device, we urge you to promptly consult with your doctor or physician for an evaluation.
**The listing of a company (e.g., Exactech) or product (e.g., Exactech, Optetrak, Optetrak Logic, Truliant, Vantage, Acumatch GXL, MCS GXL, Novation GXL, Exactech All Polyethylene Cemented Cup, Acumatch Conventional UHMWPE, MCS Conventional UHMWPE or Novation Conventional UHMWPE, etc.) is not meant to state or imply that the company acted illegally or improperly or that the product is unsafe or defective; rather only that an investigation may be, is or was being conducted to determine whether legal rights have been violated.
***The use of any trademarks, tradenames or service marks is solely for product identification and/or informational purposes.
Fill out the form for a free attorney review.