Stryker to take charge to end US knee-device probe Tue Jun 5, 2012 5:20pm EDT (Reuters) - Orthopedic implant maker Stryker Corp said it will take a charge of $33 million in the second quarter for an expected settlement of a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into one of its artificial knee devices. The charge, which is Stryker's estimate of what it will cost to settle the probe into marketing practices concerning its OtisKnee device, is expected to reduce its reported diluted earnings per share by about 9 cents in the second quarter, Stryker said. The Kalamazoo, Michigan-based company said it will exclude the charge from its adjusted earnings per share. The company received a subpoena in 2010 alleging violations of laws prohibiting sales of a medical device not cleared for marketing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Stryker said it recently entered into discussions with the DOJ and offered the $33 million to resolve the matter, but a final agreement has not yet been reached. Reporting by Susan Kelly; Editing by Gary Hill and Jan Paschal