10,000+ UK patients received damaged knee replacements from US
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Hip and knee replacements, which more than 100,000 people go through each year, cost about $6,113 each.
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Knee replacements are being recalled (Morris Law Firm)
The National Joint Registry (NJR) which oversees hip and knee surgeries in the UK announced on Monday that over 10,000 patients of the National Health Service (NHS) received faulty knee replacements and 350 patients require a second operation within the next ten years because of "aseptic loosening".
The replacements under the brand name Nexgen, manufactured by the US firm Zimmer Biomet, were recalled in October from the market. The knee implant which has been applied since 2003 failed in approximately 7% of patients over the past ten years, which records as twice the failure rate set by the NJR.
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The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) declared an intended ban on the implant, with its chief safety officer Dr. Alison Cave telling The Daily Telegraph, "We are actively working with relevant stakeholders and reviewing all available evidence from a range of sources on the concerns raised on the performance of the NexGen knee implant."
In response to the recall, a spokesperson for the American firm Zimmer Biomet said, "We are working closely with regulatory authorities on this voluntary recall and information will be sent to surgeons informing them of the details pertaining to this recall next week," adding, "At that time, information will also be made available on our website."
The majority of patients suffer from extreme cases of arthritis or from broken joints. Every year, hip and knee replacements which more than 100,000 people go through, cost about £5,000 ($6,113) each.
Replacements in general are made of plastic, metal, or ceramic material and are meant to last for at least 15 years.
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