Mary Lou Retton’s Disastrous Hip Replacement

Mary Lou Retton is known worldwide for her gymnastics. In 1984 she competed in the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, CA.  There she won a gold medal, two silver medals, and two bronze medals.  Her smile made her a star and she became a household name. Many people don’t know that Mary Lou Retton was diagnosed with a form of hip dysplasia. This abnormality can be relatively minor involving only an unstable hip joint or more severe with a complete dislocation of the hip joint. The unstable joint or dislocation occurs when the long bone of the upper leg does not sit properly in the hip socket.

Mary Lou’s hip dysplasia combined with her rigorous gymnastics training caused her hip to deteriorate into end-stage arthritis. The pain got progressively worse and Mary Lou Retton had a hip replacement in her late 30’s. She was so pleased with the results that she became a national spokesperson for the Biomet corporation (now Zimmer Biomet).

According to mctlaw.com, Biomet hired Olympic star Mary Lou Retton to sell the Magnum hip. Biomet aggressively promoted Retton as a Magnum hip replacement success story.  Unfortunately, Retton’s Magnum hip failed, and she had to have it surgically removed. Mary Lou Retton had to file her own lawsuit against Biomet. Biomet kept selling the Magnum hip in the United States until 2014, even after worldwide recalls four years earlier for very similar hip implants.  In 2015, the Australian government forced Biomet to recall the Magnum because of a higher than expected revision rate. 

According to Kaiser Health News, in a January 2020 court filing in Houston, Retton tried to block a subpoena seeking her deposition in a product liability lawsuit filed against Biomet by two patients in King County, Washington. The Washington case has since been settled and the deposition did not occur. But in a court filing opposing the subpoena, Retton confirmed she had a Biomet implant put in her left hip in 2005 and one on her right side about six years later. She said she promoted Biomet products from April 2006 through April 2013 and sued the company in January 2018, alleging the implants were defective. Retton said she and Biomet settled the suit in early 2019 “under confidential terms the parties find favorable to their respective positions. [Ms. Retton] values her long relationship with Biomet and her continued use of her [Biomet hip implants] and [Biomet] appreciates the support it has received over the years from [Ms. Retton].”

While we don’t know the specifics of the confidential agreement, it is always a good idea to do research before relying on consumer-directed ads.  Many physicians warn about patients who have already made up their minds about medical products and prescriptions before they visit a physician.  Before you make up your mind, visit a physician and get several opinions.