Big-toe arthritis is a grinding, everyday kind of pain. Every step loads that joint. For decades the definitive fix was fusion — permanent, effective, but at the cost of a joint that never bends again. So when the Cartiva Synthetic Cartilage Implant arrived with FDA approval in 2016, it sounded like the answer: a small hydrogel plug that cushions the joint and preserves motion, with a reported failure rate around 13 percent.
Patients now suing Stryker, which acquired the device, describe a different arithmetic.
What patients describe
Early relief, then regression. Many report months of improvement before pain returned — sometimes worse than before surgery, with a new grinding or clicking sensation in the joint.
The implant that moved. Imaging showing the plug had subsided into the bone, loosened, or fragmented. Bone loss around the implant site making the joint unstable.
The surgery they tried to avoid. Revision to fusion, now complicated by the bone the implant had eroded, sometimes requiring bone grafts. Recovery measured in months, not weeks.
In October 2024 Stryker recalled every Cartiva implant size sold since 2016. Patients allege the real-world failure rate was several times the figure they were quoted before surgery.
Direct2Attorney · Patient ResourceWhat patients were told vs. what independent data showed
The approval-era picture
2016 clinical trial- Roughly 13% revision rate
- Outcomes comparable to fusion
- Preserved joint motion
- Faster return to activity
What plaintiffs cite
Later studies and registries- Failure rates alleged far above 13%
- Subsidence and bone erosion
- Hydrogel degradation over time
- Revision surgeries more complex than primary fusion
The part that lingers
Patients talk about lost years: the hiking trips, the standing jobs, the simple ability to walk the dog without planning for pain. Several describe self-blame — wondering whether they chose wrong — before learning about the recall and the litigation. The recall reframed it: the device, not the patient, was the variable.
What this means if you're considering a claim
If you received a Cartiva implant and experienced persistent pain, implant loosening or subsidence, bone loss, or a revision surgery, a claim may exist. Federal cases were consolidated in February 2026 and firms are accepting new ones. A free review confirms the device, the outcome, and your state’s deadline.
Cartiva implant failed?
Free, confidential review. No upfront cost, no obligation.
Common Questions
Your operative report will name it. It was the only synthetic cartilage implant of its kind approved for the big toe in the U.S.
Documented pain, loosening, or bone loss can support a claim. Revision strengthens it. Follow your doctor’s advice on treatment.
Possibly not. Deadlines often run from when you learned the device failed or from the recall. An attorney licensed in your state can confirm.
Some individual confidential settlements have been reported. No global settlement exists as of September 2026.
No. Direct2Attorney’s review is free, and participating law firms typically work on contingency, meaning fees are generally paid only if there is a recovery. Confirm fee terms in writing with the firm.
