The Recall Desk
HighFDA (Devices)·Z-1912-2012·Announced 2012-07-11

DePuy Recalls Cemented Polished Femoral Hip Stems Due to Metal-on-Metal Use

DePuy Orthopaedics is issuing a Field Safety Notice for LUSTER and ULTIMA LX Cemented Polished Femoral Hip Stems implanted with metal-on-metal articulations.

What this means for you

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a medical device (Class II) with a potential risk of harm related to metal-on-metal articulations, but the source text does not report specific injuries or illnesses, fitting the 'High' severity criteria for risk-of-harm products where injury has not yet been reported.

Plain-English summary

DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. is issuing a Field Safety Notice for the LUSTER Cemented Polished Femoral Hip Stems and the ULTIMA LX Cemented Polished Femoral Hip Stems. This notice applies to these specific stems when they were implanted with any metal-on-metal (MoM) articulation. This includes configurations using a cobalt-chromium (CoCr) head and an acetabular cup of all-metal construction, whether monoblock or modular.

The ULTIMA LX Cemented Polished Femoral Hip Stems are forged CoCr polished cemented stems used as part of a total hip arthroplasty. They are indicated for use with all DePuy bearings and acetabular cups. The product was packaged in PETG blister trays with Tyvek lids and foam protectors. The recall involves 431 units across 78 lots, with product code 853157 and specific lot numbers including 475235, 639640, and others.

Distribution was nationwide, including California, Colorado, Iowa, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. The source text does not specify reported illnesses or injuries, nor does it provide specific instructions for consumers beyond the issuance of the Field Safety Notice.

The recalled product

Product
ULTIMA*LX STM,POL 10/12TAP/2M Packaging: The product was packaged within inner and outer PETG blister trays and sealed with coated Tyvek lids. Foam protectors were in direct contact with the stem to help immobilize the product within the package. The sterile barrier system was

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Lot numbers (16)

  • Product code: 853157 and Lot numbers: 475235
  • 639640
  • 640919
  • 662465
  • XBK76
  • XCE42
  • XCU47
  • XEW27
  • XFE23
  • XFX43
  • XHL13
  • YAX30
  • YDW82
  • YEK32
  • YFE46
  • and YKK07.

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

The notice also names 9 states specifically:

Part of a larger recall action

This product is one of 19 recalled by DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. under a single FDA (Devices) recall action. The agency files each product separately, so the size of the action is not visible from this page alone.

See all 19 products in this recall →