ABOUT EXACTECH IMPLANTS

In June 2021, Exactech issued a Class II Medical Device Recall of its Exactech Connexion GXL acetabular polyethylene liners used in their hip implants. The unanticipated degradation of an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) component has been found to lead to device failure, bone loss, and an increase in the need for revision surgeries. Then in February of 2022, an Exactech knee replacement recall notice was sent to surgeons throughout the United States, providing information about 147,732 defective and dangerous knee inserts implanted in patients since 2004. The manufacturer also provided a sample recall letter that should be sent to all individuals who may be impacted by the defective implant.

Knee, ankle, & hip replacements surgeries are some of the most commonly performed surgeries in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) released an article in September 2015 that shared key statistics about total knee replacements in the United States including one that shows from 2000 to 2010, an estimated 5.2 million total knee replacements were performed. Adults aged 45 and over made up 98.1% of those surgeries. For men, there was an 86% increase in the rate of total knee replacements from 2000 to 2010. For women, the rate almost doubled (a 99% increase) over the same period.