Cartiva Toe Implant Lawsuit — Product Failure & Recall Litigation
Stryker is recalling their Cartiva Synthetic Cartilage Implant (SCI), a medical device marketed for treating arthritis in the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint, after recent studies show failure rates as high as 64%. Patients report severe pain from nerve damage, mobility issues, and are even needing additional procedures such as toe fusion surgery due to the degradation of the implant. Healthcare providers are no longer utilizing this device and are taking it off their shelves, and those affected are filing failure to warn lawsuits against Cartiva, Wright Medical Group, and Stryker. If you or a loved one have received this implant and have experienced complications, we urge you to reach out to our team to see how we can help.
Implant Use and Complications
Approved by the FDA in 2016, the Cartiva Synthetic Cartilage Implant aimed to reduce pain for those who have osteoarthritis and eliminate the need for toe fusion surgery. Patients expected to gain mobility, but unfortunately many who received the implant reported the below issues within months of their surgery:
- Persistent or worsening pain
- Implant subsidence (sinking into bone)
- Swelling and inflammation
- Loss of mobility
- Need for surgical removal and fusion
Many patients even underwent revision surgery within two years of implantation — an outcome that contradicts the product’s marketed durability and safety profile. Because of the multiple complaints and lawsuits, the FDA issued a recall of the implant in 2024.
Current Case Status
On January 29, 2026, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) will have a hearing over this case in San Diego, California. Plaintiffs Robert Connor, Kelly Peachey, Robert DiDonato, Judy Kiel and Dwain Phillips have motioned to transfer the following actions to the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia:
| Case Name | District | Case Number |
| Phillips v. Cartiva, Inc. | W.D. Kentucky | 5:25-cv-00185 |
| Connor v. Cartiva, Inc. | D. Maryland | 8:24-cv-03525 |
| Kiel v. Cartiva, Inc. | E.D. North Carolina | 5:25-cv-00572 |
| May v. Cartiva, Inc. | S.D. West Virginia | 2:24-cv-00687 |
Return to this page for further updates on the results of the motion.
Contact Us for a Free Case Review
If you or a loved one received a Cartiva Synthetic Cartilage Implant and later required revision or fusion surgery, you may be eligible for compensation.
Call: (202) 792-7927
Email: hello@nighgoldenberg.com
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