Lawsuits Follow EXACTECH Recall for Hip, Knee, and Ankle Replacement Implants [Updated]

Updated after the Exactech implant recall MDL was approved on October 7, 2022.

Millions of Americans are living with joint replacements to help with joint pain, reduced mobility, and conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. Data from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons shows that hip and knee replacements are the most common, followed by the ankle, wrist, shoulder, and elbow.

When you have surgery for a joint replacement, you expect the implanted device to relieve joint pain and disability, not make it worse. When the medical device manufacturer Exactech recalled knee, hip, and ankle replacement implants, more than 150,000 patients were affected. Patients with Exactech knee, hip, and ankle implants have experienced debilitating injuries. Some have even required a second surgery called a revision to replace the defective implant.

Timeline of Events Leading to Recall Lawsuits Against EXACTECH

June 28, 2021 – Exactech issues DHCP about Connexion GXL hip liners

Exactech issued a worldwide Urgent Dear Healthcare Professional (DHCP) letter to warn orthopedic surgeons about a high rate of failure with its Connexion GXL hip implant liners that were designed for use with Exactech’s Novation, Acumatch, and MCS hip replacement systems. In the letter, Exactech recommended that surgeons replace the liner with a new product called the XLE liner in patients showing excessive wear.

The following day, Exactech issued a Class II medical device recall and removed the GXL liners from the market.

August 30, 2021 – Exactech recalls knee and ankle replacement systems

Exactech issued Class II medical device recalls for the following knee and ankle replacement systems:

• Truliant Knee System
• Vantage Total Ankle System
• Optetrak Comprehensive Knee System
• Opetrak Logic Comprehensive Knee System

April 7, 2022 – Exactech sends letters to patients and surgeons to expand recall for knee and ankle implants

Exactech sent a letter to surgeons and patients to provide an update on the knee and ankle implant recall originally issued on August 30, 2021. After testing found that nearly 80% of knee and ankle arthroplasty polyethylene inserts were packaged in defective bags, Exactech expanded the recall to include all inserts regardless of label or shelf life.

On the same date, Exactech sent a notice to patients who received partial or total knee replacements between 2004 and 2022 to inform them about the risks associated with the recall for plastic tibial inserts.

June 14, 2022 – Motion filed to create an MDL for litigation involving Exactech’s defective implants

Several plaintiffs filed a motion with the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) to consolidate all Exactech recall lawsuits into federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the Eastern District of New York. If the motion is granted, all current and future Exactech recall lawsuits would be consolidated for discovery and pre-trial proceedings to save time and money.

August 11, 2022 – Exactech sends DHCP to warn surgeons about defective hip liners with Acumatch, MCS, and Novation replacement systems

Exactech sent a DHCP notice to expand the hip liner recall originally issued for the Connexion GXL liner in 2021. Since this time, Exactech identified additional risk factors with liners that were designed for use with Exactech’s Acumatch, MCS, and Novation hip replacement systems. Both GXL liners and conventional UHMWPE liners were packaged in non-conforming vacuum bags that fail to prevent oxygen damage, causing hip replacement joints to wear out and loosen. The defect has also caused patients to experience severe pain, muscle damage, and nerve damage.

October 7, 2022 – Exactech Implant Recall MDL Approved

The Exactech implant recall MDL was approved by the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation following a court hearing in St. Louis, MO on September 29, 2022. All cases in federal court will now be transferred to the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn.

EXACTECH Recall Lawsuit

Patients who suffered complications or need revision surgery from an Exactech knee, hip, or ankle replacement device may be eligible to file an Exactech recall lawsuit. The following Exactech knee, hip, and ankle replacement systems are included in the recall.

OPTETRAK® Knee Recall

• OPTETRAK®All-polyethylene CR Tibial Components
• OPTETRAK®All-polyethylene PS Tibial Components
• OPTETRAK® CR Tibial Inserts
• OPTETRAK® CR Slope Tibial Inserts
• OPTETRAK® PS Tibial Inserts
• OPTETRAK® HI-FLEX® PS Tibial Inserts

OPTETRAK Logic® Knee Recall

• OPTETRAK Logic®All-polyethylene CR Tibial inserts
• OPTETRAK Logic®All-polyethylene PS Tibial inserts
• OPTETRAK Logic®CR Tibial inserts
• OPTETRAK Logic®CR Slope Tibial Inserts
• OPTETRAK Logic®PS Tibial Inserts
• OPTETRAK Logic®HI-FLEX® PS Tibial Inserts

TRULIANT® Knee Recall

• TRULIANT® CR Tibial Inserts
• TRULIANT® CR Slope Tibial Inserts
• TRULIANT® CRC Tibial Inserts
• TRULIANT® PS Tibial Inserts
• TRULIANT® PSC Tibial Inserts

VANTAGE® Knee Recall

• VANTAGE® Fixed-Bearing Liner Component

Acumatch® Hip Recall

• Acumatch®GXL
• Acumatch®Conventional UHMWPE

NOVATION® Hip Recall

• NOVATION®GXL
• NOVATION®Conventional UHMWPE

EXACTECH Hip Recall

• EXACTECH All Polyethylene Cemented Acetabular Cup

MCS Hip Recall

• MCS GXL
• MCS Conventional UHMWPE

VANTAGE® Ankle Recall

• All Vantage ankle replacement joints installed between 2004 to April 2022.

Contact an Experienced Medical Device Attorney Before Time Runs Out

The Pritzker Hageman medical device attorneys have been representing patients in recall lawsuits for the past 40 years. We have the resources and experience to go up against large companies to win six-figure settlement amounts for our clients. Our legal team was named one of the “Best Law Firms in America” for our work in mass tort litigation. For a free consultation, please call 1-888-377-8900, text 612-261-0856, or fill out the form below.