Smith & Nephew Denied Summary Judgment in Synergy Stem Hip Case

HARRISON, Ark. — An Arkansas federal judge has denied Smith & Nephew summary judgment in a case involving its Synergy Stem artificial hip, finding questions of fact as to whether the device had a manufacturing and/or compositional defect at the time it was implanted.

In a Feb. 6 order, Judge Timothy Brooks of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas also refused to exclude the testimony of the plaintiff’s expert witnesses, finding they are qualified to opine on topics of metallurgy and damages.

John Myatt underwent hip replacement surgery following a 2004 car accident and was implanted …