Defective Medical Device Injuries - Product Liability Lawyers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey

Modern medicine offers a variety of medical devices that can help us feel better and achieve improved quality of life. However, in some cases medical products can be defective, causing the medical device, implant, or materials used to improve your health to inflict serious, possibly fatal injuries. If you have been injured or a loved one has been killed as a result of a defective medical device, our product liability lawyers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Pennsauken, New Jersey can help you obtain compensation from the makers of the product

On the right is a list of common defective medical devices. If you or someone you know has suffered adverse effects as a result of the following products, contact our product liability lawyers immediately.

Bausch & Lomb ReNu with MoistureLoc® Contact Lens Solution

Bausch & Lomb ReNu with MoistureLoc® contact lens solution was popular among the 30 million soft contact wearers in the United States until reports came out that the product was linked to instances of fusarium keratitis, a serious eye infection that may cause blindness if not treated.

MoistureLoc® Recall

In April 2006, Bausch & Lomb suspended shipments of the product in light of its dangers, and the product was eventually recalled. However, there are more than 100 suspected cases of fusarium (fungal) keratitis linked to ReNu with MoistureLoc®, and eight American patients have required corneal transplants because of severe scarring caused by the infection.

Symptoms of Fusarium Keratitis

Possible symptoms of this type of eye infection include:
eye pain/discomfort, sensation of a foreign body in the eye, hypersensitivity to light, and decrease in vision. If you experience any of these symptoms and have used ReNu with MoistureLoc® contact lens solution, seek medical attention right away.

Bausch & Lomb was slow to respond to reports of links between this dangerous infection and their contact lens solution, leaving many consumers unaware of the risk for developing infections. If you have used ReNu with MoistureLoc® contact lens solution and suffered any adverse effects, we urge you to hold Bausch & Lomb accountable for manufacturing this defective medical product. Our product liability lawyers can help you with your case and are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Pennsauken, New Jersey.

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Allograft Recall / Defective Human Allografts

Some of the largest American human tissue transplant firms, including Cryolife® and Biomedical Tissue Services, have defied federal safety regulations and engaged in improper acquisition, handling, and screening of human tissue. Consequently, some patients were provided with defective human allografts (tissue implants) infected with HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, syphilis, bacterial or fungal infections, and harmful microorganisms.

Medical Applications for Human Allografts (Tissue Grafts)

Allograft implants are commonly used in a variety of reconstructive surgeries, including:

• Knee surgery
• Back/spine surgery
• Burn reconstruction
• Vein grafting
• Reconstructive plastic surgery
• Brain surgery
• Periodontal (gum) surgery

These surgeries require extra bone, skin, tendons, cartilage, and connective tissue, all of which might have been contaminated due to the companies’ improprieties. In addition, due to possible cross-contamination in processing facilities run by negligent tissue implant firms, other human tissue products – including corneas and heart valves – may be dangerous.

People who have received an allograft implant of any kind are at risk. You should undergo diagnostic testing immediately to find out if contaminated human tissue has made your implant defective or unstable, or has caused a potentially serious infection. If your allograft implant has caused you adverse effects, contact our product liability lawyers immediately. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Pennsauken, New Jersey, we can help you win compensation for injuries sustained as a result of this type of defective medical device.

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Defective Cardiac Devices

Defective cardiac devices, including defibrillators, pacemakers, valves, and stents, have injured and killed cardiac patients. Some well-known defective cardiac devices include defibrillators and pacemakers made by the Guidant Corporation and Medtronic; heart valves made by St. Jude Medical and Pfizer, and stents made by Cordis Corp. and Boston Scientific Corp.

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Defective Defibrillators and Pacemakers

Guidant Corporation and Medtronic have both announced defective medical device recalls in the past few years. Read on to learn more about the specific models.

Guidant Corporation Product Recalls

In 2005, Guidant Corporation recalled 50,000 cardiac defibrillators and 80 different pacemaker models. These devices were found to have a potential for malfunction by short-circuiting, potentially causing serious injury and/or death to the patient. Hundreds of Guidant defibrillators have malfunctioned so far, causing seven deaths.

Medtronic Product Recalls

Medtronic has also conducted three voluntary recalls of defibrillators; all are classified as Class I by the FDA, which means that there is a reasonable probability the devices could cause serious health problems or death.

In 2005, Medtronic recalled some implanted defibrillators that are prone to failing due to a battery shortage. This problem affects Medtronic’s entire Marquis™ line, which includes models in the InSync Marquis™ and Maximo™ series. Before 2003, about 87,000 of these devices were implanted in patients.

Also in 2005, Medtronic recalled its Lifepak® 500 automated external defibrillators, which can fail to detect the patient’s heartbeat even when they appear to be functioning correctly. Fifty-four incidents currently surround this defective device.

In 2004, Medtronic recalled two other defibrillator models; this recall affects Micro Jewel® II devices. The device’s defects have caused at least one serious injury and two deaths.

We believe that pacemakers and defibrillators should save your life, not threaten it. If you or a loved one has suffered injury or death as a result of this type of defective medical device, contact our product liability lawyers to help protect your rights. We have offices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Pennsauken, New Jersey to serve you.

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Valves

Two high-profile cases have emerged as a result of defective heart valves manufactured by two different companies. The first involved St. Jude Medical heart valve replacements coated with the drug Silzone®. It was hoped that this antibacterial coating would help prevent valve infections, however, 240 people who had received the valve developed paravalvular leakage, which can lead to heart failure. The valve was recalled in 2000 and it was subsequently determined that the valve had not been adequately tested, making the company negligent in manufacturing and marketing this defective product.

In another, similar case, Pfizer, Inc. was found to have hidden information from the FDA about the dangers of its heart valve, which caused 360 patients to die suddenly.

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Stents

About 300,000 Americans have had cardiac heart stents implanted to open an artery after an angioplasty procedure. Both Cordis Corporation and Boston Scientific Corporation have had problems with their heart stents malfunctioning and putting patients at risk.

Cordis Corporation Product Recalls

Cordis Corp’s CYPHER® drug-coated heart stents were found to put patients at risk for blood clots; 290 patients suffered blood clots from the stents, and 60 died. The product has not been recalled, and scientists are studying the link between heart stents and blood clots.

Boston Scientific Corporation Product Recalls

Boston Scientific Corp. recalled 99,000 of its heart stents after they were found to malfunction, resulting in at least three deaths and more injuries. Stents are implanted using a tiny balloon, and in 45 cases, the company’s stents made balloon deflation difficult. In 86 cases, the balloon became stuck and was difficult to remove.

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Defective Knee, Hip, or Spinal Disc Replacement

Knee, hip, and spinal disc replacements are popular procedures designed to relieve patients’ pain and increase mobility, providing relief from osteoarthritis and other joint related ailments or injuries. Unfortunately, defective joint and disc replacements have put patients at risk for serious complications and, in some cases, necessitated follow-up surgery, which forces patients to undergo long, painful rehabilitation and physical therapy.

We believe the manufacturers of defective medial devices such as knee, hip, and spinal disc replacements should be held accountable for patients’ pain and suffering. Read more about defective replacements below, or contact our product liability lawyers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania or Pennsauken, New Jersey to discuss your case.

Defective Knee Replacements

Knee replacement surgery is the most common replacement surgery in the United States. Between 200,000 and 300,000 knee replacements are performed each year. However, many knee replacements have been found to be defective, as they do not properly bond with the patient’s bone. This can cause severe pain, infection, joint and muscular damage, and the need for further surgery.

Defective knee replacements made by Johnson & Johnson/ DePuy, Encore, Stryker/ Howmedica, and Smith & Nephew have been recalled. More knee replacements made by Sulzer Orthopedic were found to have “unanticipated adverse clinical outcomes,” but the company never recalled these defective products.

Defective Hip Replacements

Hip replacements are often implanted in patients suffering from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, avascular necrosis (bone breakdown caused by inadequate blood supply), injury, and bone tumors. However, defective hip replacements that fail to bond with the patient’s bone have put many patients at risk. Sulzer Orthopedic recalled their Inter-Op® acetabular shells in 2000, after it was found that a residue of mineral oil-based lubricant prevented the implants from bonding to the patient’s bone. It’s estimated that 17,500 implants using the defective shell have been performed, and 200 patients have had the defective parts replaced.

If your hip replacement has caused you sharp pain or has made it difficult to stand up after sitting, you may have received a defective hip replacement. Contact our product liability lawyers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania or Pennsauken, New Jersey immediately.

Defective Spinal Disc Replacements

Spinal disc replacements are used to treat various forms of severe back pain, but they produce inconsistent results and are considered risky. The CHARITÈ® spinal disc replacement, made by DePuy Spine, a division of Johnson & Johnson, has been found to cause a high incidence of severe adverse effects in patients. So far, 130 serious adverse events have been reported. These can include:

• Migration of the disc
• Pedicle fractures
• Settling of the disc into the bone
• Puncturing a vein or artery

In some cases, these events have necessitated the removal of the disc. In every case, all patients have experienced severe back pain.

If your spinal disc has caused you pain instead of relieving it, you may have received a defective disc replacement. You should seek medical attention and contact our experienced product liability lawyers at Shein Law Center.

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Contact Our Lawyers to File a Defective Medical Device Lawsuit

In instances where a defective medical device has cause serious injury or death, our product liability lawyers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Pennsauken, New Jersey can help you file a lawsuit against the product manufacturer. For a review of your case or for more information about a defective medical device not listed on this page, please contact the attorneys at Shein Law Center today.

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