Exactech Knee & Ankle Recall

Cincinnati Exactech Knee and Ankle Implant Lawyers

Did You or a Loved One Require Revisions Surgery or Follow-up Care After a Knee or Hip Implant Failure?

It’s not uncommon for people with degenerative disease to suffer chronic pain and limited mobility as a result of their condition. When your joints suffer wear and tear from decades of use, joint replacement surgery may be the best, if not the only option to alleviate your symptoms and improve your mobility and quality of life.

However, if the artificial knee or ankle is defective or fails prematurely, it can cause even more pain and complications. In some cases, patients may require additional surgeries to remove or replace the faulty joint, which can be both physically and financially taxing. Unfortunately, this is what happened to many joint replacement patients who received Exactech’s knee and ankle implants, which were first officially recalled in 2020.

Why Were Exactech Knee and Ankle Replacements Recalled?

Interestingly, the 2020 Exactech recall wasn’t due to defects in the implants. The damage resulted from incorrect packaging of the replacement joints which allowed oxygen to penetrate them, causing the plastic used to cushion the joints to break down and ultimately damage the joints.

As a result, the implants would wear out, loosen and even break once implanted, causing many patients to experience pain, instability and undergo revision surgery.

Exactech advised hospitals and distributors to return the affected products and recommended that patients who had received the implants to follow up with their healthcare providers if they experienced any pain or other symptoms. The company also implemented measures to improve their packaging and quality control processes to prevent similar issues in the future.

Which Knee and Ankle Implants Have Been Recalled?

Over 5,000 units of Exactech implants have been recalled. Some examples of these recalled brands include:

• Exactech Optetrak® Logic
• Optetrak Evolution
• Exactech Equinoxe
• Exactech TruMatch
• Optetrak Custom Polyethylene Tibial Inserts (TKR)
• Optetrak All-polyethylene Tibial Components (PKR)

If you have an Exactech implant and you’re not sure if it’s been a part of the recall, be sure to visit the company’s website.

What Should I Do if I’ve Received an Exactech Knee or Ankle Recall Notice?

If you have received a recall notice for an Exactech knee or ankle implant, the first step is to contact your doctor or surgeon who performed the implant surgery. They can provide guidance on what to do next, including scheduling an appointment to have the implant checked or removed if necessary.

You should also visit the company’s website to check if your specific implant is included in the recall and to get more information about the recall. The website may have instructions on how to return the implant or how to get a replacement.

Also, watch for any symptoms indicating damage to your implant, such as pain, instability, inability to bear weight and swelling in the joint, as these signs may indicate the implant is failing and needs to be promptly replaced.

If you have any of these symptoms, contact your doctor immediately to discuss treatment options, such as revision surgery.