10,000 NHS patients given a 'failing' knee implant

Concerns flagged up eight years before it was withdrawn

- By Giles Sheldrick Chief Reporter

AT least 10,000 health service patients received faulty knee replacements, leaving many in agony.

NHS England is investigating after those fitted with the NexGen implant told how they ended up immobile and on addictive painkillers while surgeons had their competency questioned.

Medics say US manufacturer Zimmer Biomet took too long to accept that a component had a worrying failure rate.

It took eight years before it was finally withdrawn.

Debbie Booker, from Southampton, went under the knife in 2016 and a year later suffered excruciating pain. The implant had slipped from the shinbone and was wearing it away.