A jury ruled in favor of a spine surgeon after a patient alleged a disc replacement implant caused an allergic reaction, Virginia Lawyers Weekly reported June 9.
The 41-year-old patient had cervical disc replacement and requested preoperative metal allergy testing since it was in his family, the report said. Metal testing for 12 types showed no reaction to titanium after four days.
The patient had surgery with a titanium-coated implant that wasn’t metal-on-metal, the report said. But after seven months, he developed symptoms that he attributed to a titanium allergy and hasn’t had revision surgery. He also didn’t do another titanium allergy test.
The man sued for $4 million in damages for alleged lack of informed consent. However a jury ruled in favor of the surgeon after five hours of deliberation.
