Toe joint replacement surgery, also known as toe arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure that removes a damaged toe joint and inserts an artificial joint. However, Cartiva big toe joint implants have led to complications for patients. At Meinhart & Manning, PLLC, we are here to help if you need a Cartiva toe implant lawyer by your side. We understand the processes involved with defective medical product claims, and we want to help you recover compensation for your losses.
Cartiva is an artificial cartilage toe implant used to help relieve and treat symptoms of arthritis in the large toe. Unfortunately, there is growing evidence that Cartiva toe implants may have a defective design and a high rate of failure.
Big toe arthritis (hallux rigidus) causes pain and stiffness in the joint located at the base of the big toe. The primary cause of this medical issue is wear and tear on the joint, but this joint can also be affected by trauma, infections, and inflammatory conditions.
The Cartiva implant is a new treatment designed to be implanted in the big toe to treat these painful symptoms. It was designed to act as a synthetic replacement for cartilage that had degraded and is molded to be about the size of a pea. This implant is made of polyvinyl hydrogel, which has been around for quite a while and is widely used in the medical device industry.
Cartiva implant issues arose soon after the release of the device. The main reason for the high failure rate of these implants is that the PVA hydrogel material can shrink and compress after being implanted. This leads to the implant becoming mobile and moving out of the original implant position, and migration of the implant can impact nerves and lead to extreme pain.
Patients with a defective Cartiva implant must undergo corrective revision surgeries to have the implant removed in order to alleviate the pain. Unfortunately, several other issues have arisen as a result of defective Cartiva big toe implants, including, but not limited to:
At Meinhart & Manning, PLLC, we have years of experience handling complex defective product claims, including those involving harmful medical devices.
If you or somebody you love has been affected by a faulty Cartiva toe implant, reach out to the team at Meinhart & Manning, PLLC for help. We have extensive experience handling salty product claims, and our Louisville Cartiva toe implant lawyers are ready to help. You can contact us for a free consultation of your case by clicking here or by calling (502) 589-2700.