Hip Replacement Device by Smith & Nephew pulled

The London company, Smith & Nephew, is voluntarily removing a component of one of their all metal hip replacement systems. The device is an optional metal liner for the R3 Acetabular System hip replacement system.

This move comes after the company had reports of a higher than normal amount of patients reporting problems with the metal liner device used in their hip replacement.

Problems reported included fractures, dislocations and infections. In some cases, surgery was required to remove the liner. The company was not satisfied with these reports and pulled the component.

Smith & Nephew removed the device as a precaution and say that if a patient is not experiencing any problems there is no need to have the device removed.

Smith & Nephew metal liner hit the market in 2009, but metal on metal hips have been under scrutiny since being introduced in 2007.