Use cautionMedical device recall · FDA · Published August 24, 2022
Howmedica Short Tibial Bearing MK4 Knee Prosthesis Recall: Incompatible with MK3 Casing
Howmedica recalls Short Tibial Bearing MK4 (Catalog SMMLTB02) due to incompatibility with MK3 Tibial Metal Casing, requiring surgical reassembly. Affected patients should contact Howmedica for guidance.
A MK4 Tibial Bearing was supplied with the intention to mate with the Tibial Metal Casing in-situ. However, the device in-situ was a MK3 Tibial Metal Casing. The supplied MK4 tibial bearing was not exchangeable for the MK3 tibial bearing. The surgeon needed to complete the surgery by re-assembling and re-inserting the extracted MK3 tibial bearing.
Take action
Contact the company
📍Recalling firmHowmedica Osteonics Corp.325 Corporate Dr · Mahwah, NJ 07430-2006
“Howmedica Short Tibial Bearing MK4 Knee Prosthesis Recall: Incompatible with MK3 Casing.” GovInfoNow, updated August 19, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/60133-howmedica-short-tibial-bearing-mk4-knee-prosthesis-recall-incompatible-with. Based on FDA recall #Z-1778-2022 (https://api.fda.gov/device/enforcement.json?search=recall_number:%22Z-1778-2022%22&limit=1).
The FDA announced on Aug. 24, 2022, that Howmedica Osteonics Corp. is recalling Short tibial bearing MK4 - Std, STM, Catalog No. SMMLTB02 knee prosthesis components due to a hazard involving incompatible mating parts. The agency classified the recall as Class II.
How to tell if you have it
Brand: Howmedica
Product: Short tibial bearing MK4 - Std, STM
Catalog No.: SMMLTB02
Lot number: B24694
The hazard
The recalled MK4 Tibial Bearing was supplied to mate with a Tibial Metal Casing in-situ, but the device in-situ was actually a MK3 Tibial Metal Casing. Because the supplied MK4 tibial bearing was not exchangeable for the MK3 tibial bearing, the surgeon needed to complete the surgery by re-assembling and re-inserting the extracted MK3 tibial bearing.
Context
GovInfoNow's records show Howmedica Osteonics Corp. has 46 other recalls on record since July 21, 2017. Other recent recalls of similar products include Orthopedic Implant Bushings Due to Oxidation Risk (July 30, 2026), Triathlon Baseplate Size 3 Recall (May 19, 2026), and MICS3 Angled Sagittal Saw Attachment Recall (Feb. 2, 2026). Other recent recalls of similar products include Encore Medical EMPOWR 3D Knee Tibial Insert 5R 14MM Recall (Jan. 5, 2026) and U2 Total Knee System Femoral Valgus Adaptor Recall (May 20, 2026).
How to tell if you have this one
Check for the catalog number SMMLTB02 on the product label. The affected items were sold with lot number B24694 (no UDI).
Brand
Howmedica
Category
Medical device
Based on the official FDA remedy
What to do — step by step
Contact Howmedica
Reach out to Howmedica Osteonics Corp. for guidance on next steps after identifying the recalled component.
Where it went and when
Where it was distributed
Distributed in New York.
Listed by the agency
Not listed
FDA distribution: “Distributed to one customer located in New York.” States read from FDA’s own wording; “not listed” means the notice does not name it.
States: New York.
Recall timeline
FDA published this recall 42 days after the firm started it.
1Firm started the recall
2FDA classified it Class II
3Published in FDA’s Enforcement Report
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official FDA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
Official source: FDA Recall #Z-1778-2022 (August 24, 2022) — FDA publishes no per-recall page; this is the official machine-readable enforcement record. Search FDA recalls for Z-1778-2022 to see it in context.
Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on August 19, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the FDA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official FDA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.