DePuy recalled its ASR XL hip implants in 2010 because the metal-on-metal devices could release debris and fail prematurely. The recall covered the ASR XL Acetabular System and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System, which had been marketed by DePuy, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary.
The implants used cobalt-chromium alloy bearing surfaces. In some patients, wear generated metal particles and ions that could inflame nearby tissue, damage bone, and cause pain or loosening. DePuy said higher-than-expected revision rates were a central reason for withdrawing the devices.
The recall affected tens of thousands of patients worldwide and led to monitoring, imaging, and revision surgery for some recipients. It also intensified scrutiny of metal-on-metal hip designs and the evidence used to approve and monitor medical implants.
ASR is sometimes mixed up with unrelated recalls by other orthopedic manufacturers. The distinctive 2010 ASR recall involved DePuy products, not every hip replacement using metal components.