Case Examples

Orthopedic Implants
Products Liability / Medical Malpractice

A 49 year old man had a total knee replacement that required bony ingrowth for fixation of the device to the bone. The replacement resulted in pain, became loose and had to be revised with a new total knee replacement three years postoperative. The loosening had been diagnosed after the man had been performing heavy labor after which there was heard a loud pop emanate from his knee. When the knee prosthesis was removed during revision surgery, the polyethylene on the knee cap portion of the prosthesis was found to be eroded.

• What was the mechanism of failure?
• Was the failure due to improper surgical technique, a defective device or the heavy labor?