DePuy ASR XL Failure Rates Nearly 50%

Important statistics presented at the British Hip Society Annual Conference in early March showed an even higher than anticipated revision rate for the DePuy ASR XL. Data collected from four surgeons in the U.K. showed a 21% revision rate at 4 years and 49% revision rate at 6 years for the recalled DePuy ASR XL hip device. Various reasons for failure include loosening of the acetabular or femoral component and metal reaction leading to death of tissue. In most cases, patients have high cobalt-chromium ion levels and fluid collection around the joint.

The surgeons’ results also indicated that revision rates could increase to 35% at 4 years if all the patients who are currently having pain with their implants need a revision. In the DePuy recall of the ASR XL Acetabular System and ASR Hip Resurfacing System in August of 2010, the company’s recall letter stated revision rates of 13% at 5 years for the ASR XL Acetabular System, with particular concern for patients who were implanted with ASR head sizes of less than 50 mm in diameter. The data presented at the Conference however showed high revision rates even for patients implanted with large diameter size cups, and the panel recommended avoiding the use of large diameter metal-on-metal bearings.

This new information regarding the DePuy hip replacement device affirms the problems and high revision rates associated with the ASR hip device. A hip replacement device with only a 50% survivorship rate is very unheard of, and with these statistics, it is anticipated that more patients implanted an ASR hip replacement device will need a revision surgery.

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