IntroductionOrthopaedic devices represent 12% of all medical device recalls. Products are approved through pre-market approval (PMA) or the 510(k) premarket notification process. No previous evaluation was found in the literature evaluating foot and ankle device recalls. The field of foot and ankle subspecialty has seen a rapid growth in innovation related to implants in recent years.MethodsThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Device Recall database was evaluated for all foot and ankle devices from 2007 through 2017 for the manufacturer, process of approval, type of implant, recall class, dates of initiation and termination of the recall, manufacturer determined reason, quantity affected, and distribution within the United States or internationally.ResultsA total of 161 products from 33 companies were identified with 158 (98.1%) approved through the 510(k) process. The most common reason for device recall was due to the device breaking intraoperatively or postoperatively. The average length of the recall was 487.5 days. ConclusionsDevice recall is not an uncommon event with the majority of products approved through the less demanding 510(k) process.

The medical device industry has grown substantially in recent years. There is limited research examining orthopedic subspecialties and the recall of orthopedic devices. We hypothesize that knee arthroplasty devices cleared through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k)-notification process would have a higher recall rate than the premarket approval (PMA) process. Methods The FDA database was thoroughly queried for all knee arthroplasty surgical devices from January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2017. Recalled devices were analyzed by manufacturer, type of implant, recall class, manufacturer-determined reason, FDA-determined reason, quantity affected, submission type, and distribution within the United States or internationally. Results Out of over 30,000 medical devices on the market, a total of 300 knee arthroplasty devices from 18 different companies were recalled during the time frame of this study. Tibial components accounted for 35.33% of devices, polyethylene implants for 38.67%, and femoral components for 15%. The most common reason for recall was device design (n = 134, 44.67%), followed by process control (n = 32, 10.67%). Of the 300 knee arthroplasty devices recalled, 267 (89.0%) were cleared through the 510(k) premarket notification process and 33 (11.0%) devices were approved through the PMA process. Conclusions A larger proportion of knee arthroplasty surgical devices cleared through the 510(k) process were recalled compared to implants approved through the stricter PMA process. Changing the 510(k) process may enable manufacturers to improve upon the safety of their devices.

Background: Medical device recalls have increased in the previous two decades. Orthopedic devices are estimated to constitute 12% of all medical devices recalled. Medical devices enter the market via the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) premarket approval (PMA) or 510(k) pathways. This article evaluates orthopedic hip device recalls between Jan. 1, 2007, and Dec. 31, 2017. We hypothesized that the 510(k) approval process would have substantially higher recall rates for defective devices. Methods: The FDA's device recall database was queried for all orthopedic hip devices from Jan. 1, 2007, to Dec. 31, 2017. Each recall included product description, recall number, device class, date of recall posting, date of recall termination, manufacturer, FDA-determined cause for recall, number of recalled units, distribution, product classification, and method of approval [510(k), PMA, or unspecified]. Results: In total, 774 orthopedic hip devices were recalled between Jan. 1, 2007, and Dec. 31, 2017. The 510(k) approval process constituted 85% of hip device recalls. The most common FDA-determined cause of hip device recalls was device design, which constituted 37% of 510(k)-approved device recalls but only 6% of PMA-approved device recalls. The most recalled hip devices were hip prostheses. Orthopedic hip device recalls have shown a decrease of about 10 recalls per year during the 11-year period of analysis. Conclusion: Devices approved through the 510(k) process, compared with the PMA process, were more likely to be recalled for design defects. Although device design is the most common reason for device recall, many recalls are due to suboptimally standardized processes (e.g., packaging, process controls, device labeling). Overall, orthopedic hip device recalls decreased during the period of analysis (2007–17).