Fed: Call for national register of implant devices

AAP General News (Australia)
08-17-2001
Fed: Call for national register of implant devices

The recall of a type of artificial hip that disintegrated has prompted renewed demands
for a register of implant devices such as hips and pacemakers.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration has announced a recall of parts of the widely
used French-made product which has a failure rate overseas as high as 8.8 per cent.

The Zirconia brand ceramic hip has been reported to disintegrate in some cases, generally
13 to 27 months after implantation.

There are no techniques to detect likelihood of failure and once the part fails the
patient is unable to move until it is replaced.

Labor says the recall is an example of why a register of patients with implant devices is needed.

AAP RTV eg/kjp/jh/jas

KEYWORD: HIP (CANBERRA)

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