Recalled Exactech Hip Lawsuit

In the summer of 2021, Exactech issued its first recall of the Exactech GXL hip liners. By August of 2022, Exactech expanded the recall of the Exactech GXL hip liner by another 40,000 hip devices. 

Exactech Hip Implant Components

The recalled Exactech hip has four main components:

1. Acetabular Component– The Exactech hip acetabular component is made of metal and is implanted into the hip socket.
2. Plastic Liner– The Exactech hip plastic liner is made of a plastic known as polyethylene. The plastic liner of the Exactech hip is intended to mimic cartilage and provide cushion to the hip.
3. Femoral Hip Head– The Exactech femoral hip head is a ball that acts as a new hip joint.
4. Femoral Hip Stem– The Exactech femoral hip stem is made of metal and connects the Exactech hip head to the femur or upper leg. 

Defective Exactech Hip Component – Plastic Liner

The Exactech hip was recalled for essentially the same reason the Exactech knees and ankles were recalled – the defective plastic liner. The company Exactech learned that the packaging for the Exactech plastic hip liner had been out of specification – allowing the polyethylene liner of the Exactech hip to be exposed to air. Polyethylene is susceptible to degradation when exposed to oxygen. The defective packaging of the Exactech hip allowed for the plastic liner to undergo a degradative process known as oxidative degradation. Polyethylene has long been known to degrade via oxidative degradation when exposed to oxygen in the air. When the polyethylene of the Exactech hip undergoes oxidative degradation, the hip can fail early, necessitating additional surgeries. Exactech should have been aware that if their hip implant was exposed to oxygen in the air that the Exactech hips would fail early.

Exactech Hip Lawsuit – Free Consultation

If you or a loved one has been implanted with an Exactech hip and had to have it replaced or received a recall letter, contact our experienced Exactech hip attorneys today by calling 202-792-7927 or filling out a webform below. Time is limited to file a lawsuit related to the Exactech hip recall, so don’t delay contacting our Exactech hip lawyers. Compensation could be available for anyone who has been injured as a result of being implanted with a recalled Exactech hip implant.