Biomet Magnum Metal Hip Failure Lawsuits

The controversial Biomet M2A Magnum Hip Implant is a type of metal-on-metal hip replacement made with a cobalt chromium based alloy.

The Biomet M2A Magnum Hip Implant was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2004. It is very similar to the DePuy ASR Hip Implant, which is another metal-on-metal hip implant that was recalled in 2010 due to safety concerns.

Biomet M2A Magnum Hip Implant has been linked to severe complications, including heavy metal poisoning (metallosis), premature hip device failure, local tissue damage, and pseudotumor development.

Why Does Biomet M2a and Magnum Hips Fail?

The Biomet M2a 38 and the M2a Magnum are metal on metal hip implants plagued with a history of serious and catastrophic complications. Metallosis or metal debris accumulation occurs as a result of the metal head (“ball”) and the metal cup grinding together and releasing cobalt and chromium particles.

This metal debris is highly toxic and directly causes pseudotumors, HIP tissue death, premature hip implant failure and elevated blood cobalt and chromium metal ion levels. Metal particles can also enter the bloodstream, causing metal blood poisoning.

The problem with metal-on-metal hip implants is that they were marketed as safe, long-lasting devices ideal for younger, healthier, physically active patients. Unfortunately, many scientific studies have found that the metal-on-metal design causes higher rates of severe side effects than plastic or ceramic designs.

The side effects and complications associated with the Biomet M2A Magnum Hip Implant are not unique to the company or the device. In fact, over the past ten years, many metal on metal hip manufacturers have come under fire for similar premature hip implant failures and metallosis injuries. The metal hip device models DePuy ASR, DePuy Pinnacle (made by the medical device giant Johnson & Johnson), Zimmer Durom Cup, Stryker Rejuvenate/ABG II, Stryker LFIT V40, Encore, Wright Conserve have all been targeted with lawsuits and in several instances agreed to settle the injury claims.

What are Pseudotumors?

Medical studies on metal on metal hip implants including the Biomet M2A Magnum Hip Implant have found tissue damage and the development of pseudotumors around the joint. A metal-on-metal pseudotumor, also known as aseptic lymphocyte-dominant vasculitis-associated lesion (ALVAL), is a mass-forming tissue reaction around a metal-on-metal hip or knee replacement.

Some pseudotumors can only be found by a MARS MRI or CT scan, even when X-rays and blood tests for metal ions show nothing wrong.

Biomet M2A Magnum Hip Implant Lawsuit Update

February 2014 — U.S. medical device maker Biomet Inc will pay at least $56 million to settle a multi-district lawsuit relating to the line of defective Biomet M2A Magnum metal hip replacements.

Biomet agrees to pay $56 million to settle over 1,000 Magnum M2a and M2a-38 hip implant lawsuits, for a base payment of $200,000 per plaintiff.

October 2012 — A federal judicial panel has centralized Biomet M2A Magnum hip implant lawsuits into a Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, before Judge Robert L. Miller.

Biomet M2A Magnum Hip Implant Overview

In February 2012, a study published in the British Medical Journal warned that metal-on-metal hip implants can shed metal particles, causing metal poisoning.

In March 2012, a study published in the Lancet found that metal-on-metal hip implants were more likely to fail than plastic or ceramic designs. About 6% of metal-on-metal devices failed in the first 5 years, compared to 1.7% of plastic devices, and 2.3% of ceramic devices.

In May 2012, a study published in the Journal of Arthroplasty found that metal-on-metal hip implants corroded more severely and more quickly than plastic or ceramic devices.

In June 2012, a study published in the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery found that 39% of people with metal-on-metal hip implants developed pseudotumors.

FDA Warning for Metal on Metal Hips

In January 2013, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration warned that metal-on-metal hip implant devices were found to have increased risk of early failure compared to those made from other materials. In 2016, the FDA required the metal hip manufacturers to submit a premarket approval (PMA) application if they wanted to continue marketing their current devices and/or market a new implant.

Symptoms of Biomet Hip Implant failure

If you have received a Biomet M2A Magnum hip implant, you may develop chronic pain, need a risky additional surgery, be hit with expensive medical bills among other injuries. The early warning signs of device failure include:

Swelling, or inflammation around the implant
Device loosening, instability, the hip implant may make a “clicking” noise while you walk
Hip pain

Biomet M2A Magnum Hip Implant Complications

The Biomet M2A Magnum hip implant has been linked to a number of severe complications, including:

Hip implant device failure, which may require an additional corrective surgery
Tissue damage tissue around the hip joint
Metal poisoning caused by increased levels of chromium and cobalt in the blood
Chronic pain in the implant
Bone damage, or bone loss
Pseudotumors which can cause premature hip device failure

Injured by Biomet M2A Magnum Hip Implant?

If you think you may have Biomet M2A Magnum Hip Implant device and are experiencing pain caused by metal corrosion or have suffered premature hip failure requiring full revision and emergency care, please call Dr. Shezad Malik Law Firm based in Dallas, Texas at 214-390-3189.

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