The Zimmer Continuum® Acetabular System with metal liner is a cutting-edge hip implant device that was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in May 2009 for use in patients suffering from pain and limited mobility associated with:

• Degenerative joint disease
• Hip or pelvic fractures
• Rheumatoid arthritisl
• Osteoarthritis
• Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (a fracture in the growth plate of the top of the thigh [femur] bone caused by excessively awkward movement and/or growth spurts in adolescents)
• Traumatic arthritis.

Design of the Zimmer Continuum® Acetabular System

As with other modern hip implant devices, the Zimmer Continuum® Acetabular System is comprised of a round component modeled after the top of a healthy femur that fits within a cup-shaped component designed to reproduce a healthy hip socket. Aside from these basic design features, the Zimmer Continuum® Acetabular System has a number of trademarked components and associated technologies that make this hip implant unique.

Zimmer Holdings, Inc. has specially engineered its Continuum® Acetabular System with the following technologies that are positioned to fit patients' specific needs while also mirroring their natural anatomy:

• Metasul® Metal-on-Metal (MoM) Articulation, in which both the ball and socket components of the hip implant are comprised of the Zimmer's specially formulated high-carbon, wroght-forged cobalt-chromium alloy to increase the strength and stability while minimizing roughness and MoM friction
• Trabecular Metal™ Material, which covers the cup-component, is bonded to a Zimmer-trademarked alloy (Tivanium ®), and is touted to have “up to 80 porosity” (which means that it mimics the bone's material and, consequently, promotes implant stability, acceptance, and biologic ingrowth)

The Zimmer Continuum® Acetabular System can be implanted with or without bone cement. It is not indicated for patients that have metal allergies, blood or kidney disorders, and/or systemic or local infections.

Risks Linked to the Zimmer® Continuum® Acetabular System

Despite its use of cutting-edge technologies and approximately two decades of supporting clinical data, the Zimmer Continuum® Acetabular System has been linked to some risks that can require affected patients to need one or more invasive corrective hip surgeries.

Among the risks associated with the Zimmer Continuum® Acetabular System with metal liner are

• Hip dislocation
• Implant rejection
• Metallosis (a condition that arises due to elevated metal in the blood and the body's soft tissues due to grinding of the device's metal components)
• Severe infection

Surgeons are strongly encouraged to closely monitor hip implant patients following implantation surgery for any indications that their device has become defective and their health has been compromised.

If you have suffered painful complications that required you to undergo revision surgery, you can seek compensation for your injuries. To learn more, schedule a free case review with a defective hip implant lawyer today.