Unapproved ‘mix match’ metal on metal hips

Concerns have been raised for thousands of patients who may suffer serious disability and early failure due to metal hip implants made from components supplied by different manufacturersIt has been discovered that surgeons are mixing and matching component parts into the hip joint. The parts may not fit together properly resulting in damage to the bone and extra wear meaning metal debris can break off and enter the blood stream.

A spokesman for the British Orthpaedic Association said “while some components match extremely well it has become clear that more modern cutting edge technologies can create critical combinations which have produced new problems, most notably, but not exclusively, metal surfaces which move slightly. Very minor design or material differences have created unexpected clashes magnified by the extreme use we expect from our joints.”

The use of mix and match components is not illegal but the guidance is they should only be used where there is no suitable alternative already on the market.

I act for a client whose life, sadly, was turned upside down by the hip components wearing which caused metal ions to be released into the blood stream. He had to undergo further surgery and continues to have problems. His story may, it seems, be the tip of the iceberg.

By Sara Westwood of Morgan Jones & Pett. sarawestwood@m-j-p.co.uk