Patients and surgeons around the country are complaining that hip and knee devices manufactured by Exactech are prematurely failing at a remarkably high rate. Our office has filed suit on behalf of an individual implanted with one of these products, and we are investigating additional claims.
Exactech’s “Optetrak,” “Logic,” and “Truliant” devices, used in hip and knee replacement surgeries, are reported to fail as early as two to three years after implant surgery. The company stresses the durability of its implants in advertising, even suggesting they likely will outlive their human recipients. However, the plastic components in these devices are reported to break down early in the lifespan of the product. The breakdown is caused by a defect in the product packaging. This defect exposes the plastic components to too much oxygen before implantation causing the plastic components to break down even before implantation.
Removal of these defective components often requires a complex and painful revision surgery, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars and may not be fully reimbursed by insurance. Before and after revision surgery, patients are experiencing extreme pain and limited mobility. The recovery period after revision surgeries requires difficult physical therapy and the possibility of additional surgeries. Many are left with life-long limited mobility, pain and suffering, along with staggering medical bills.
Many think Exactech was cutting corners to improve their bottom line. The company is being accused of downplaying or concealing evidence of product failures from patients and federal regulators for years. In hundreds of instances, the company allegedly took years to report adverse events to a federal database that tracks device failures, according to government records.
Whistleblowers, which are former Exactech employees, have testified in depositions that pulling the product off the market around 2008 “would have been the ethical and moral thing to do.” However, Exactech didn’t initiate a formal recall until years later. You may have received a “recall letter” from the company or your surgeon’s office.
The attorneys at Preuss | Foster Law have litigated defective hip and knee implant cases for over a decade. If you or someone you know has been implanted with Exactech’s Optetrak device, you may be able to file a lawsuit and get financial compensation. Contact an attorney from Preuss | Foster Law Firm for a free, no-obligation legal consultation today and find out if you qualify for a Exactech Optetrak lawsuit.