Negligent Hip Replacement Surgery Allegedly Causes Implant To Fail

This case involves an 80-year-old male patient who underwent a hip replacement revision for his left hip. He required a revision due to infection in his first implant. Because of the infection, the patient required a second implant as well as a femur implant. The patient was transferred to a rehabilitation facility for physical therapy. Approximately 3 weeks into physical therapy, the patient was being lifted in a Hoyer lift when he felt a sudden severe pain. He was taken to the hospital where it was discovered that his hip replacement had dislocated and he required emergency surgery. The patient suffered numerous complications as a result of the third surgery. An expert orthopedic surgeon was sought to speak to causation and damages.

Question(s) For Expert Witness

1. How often do you perform hip replacements?

2. What would be some indications that the implant for a patient with a hip replacement was not properly placed at the initial surgery, leading the hip to be more prone to dislocation?

3. What would be some indications that a patient with a hip replacement was improperly lifted at physical therapy, leading to hip dislocation?

Expert Witness Response E-369755

I am an orthopedic surgeon with 20+ years of experience in the field of orthopedic surgery. I specialize in total hip replacements and knee arthroplasty, and I perform approximately 300 hip replacements per year. Some indications that the implant for a patient with a hip replacement was not properly placed at the initial surgery, leading the hip to be more prone to dislocation, include the following: the femoral component excessively anteverted or retroverted, the femoral stem not axial aligned down the femur or not in the canal.