Zimmer Durom Cup hips...how widespread was the damage?

Some reports show that nearly 20,000 Zimmer Durom Cups were used in hip transplants. Both doctors and patients have reported that many of those receiving the transplant experienced agonizing and excruciating pain months after the new hip was in place.

So how many patients suffered serious harm from this potentially defective product? Some estimates put the numbers in the thousands, but sadly we will never know for sure.

Why not?

For years, public safety advocates have pushed for a tracking system for artificial joints like the ones in place in numerous countries across the globe. Such a system would create a centralized database that would allow patients, doctors and manufacturers like Zimmer to be alerted to problems when they arise.

According to the New York Times, nearly half of the artificial joints used in the world are implanted right here in the United States...why then don't we have a sophisticated tracking system like those in use around the world?

Could the manufacturers of such joints not want others to know how extensive the failures are?

Sadly, we may never know how many people needlessly suffered as a result of the Zimmer Durom Cup failures, but perhaps through effective advocacy in our courts, injured patients will demand just compensation and that will force manufacturers to finally push for the early warning system we so desperately need.