Posted on March 25, 2014 in Defective Medical Devices

Artificial joints fail 10 percent of the time, according to the Consumer Reports Safe Patient Project. Surgical mistakes, complications, and product defects can all make a patient's life more difficult.

Every major hip and knee implant manufacturer has recalled a product in the last ten years. Sadly, if you have been the victim of a faulty implant, you and your insurance might have to foot the costs of your medical expenses in the short term.

While some symptoms appear right away, others might not begin to bother a patient until several months later. Common symptoms of a failed implant include swelling, stiffness, instability, and general pain. Metal implants that break down over time can cause serious pain for patients. Joint surfaces rubbing against one another can wear down the implant surface, causing loosening and bone loss.

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 Posted on March 19, 2014 in Defective Medical Devices

The FDA-approved warning label for Mirena, an intrauterine system used by thousands across the country, lists critical side effects including perforation, embedment, expulsion, ovarian cysts and breast cancer. Additionally, women who become pregnant while using Mirena could miscarry. Mirena patients have reported a wide range of minor and major side effects, leading to defective medical device lawsuits.

A Detroit news station found that over 2 million women use the product, and the FDA has seen more than 70,000 complaints between 2008-2013. The reported issues have been on the record for years, with women suffering from regular pain, some requiring surgery, and others suffering from infertility as a result of their use. More minor complaints included back pain, headaches and acne, while others continued to suffer serious impacts after using Mirena. 4,775 women reported about device dislocation, where Mirena migrated outside of the uterus or became embedded in the uterus. Nearly 4,000 women noted issues with serious abdominal pain, and a further 1300 Mirena users experienced perforation of the uterus.

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 Posted on March 19, 2014 in Defective Medical Devices

Consumers are likely familiar with warranties offered any time a purchase is made for a new appliance or electronic. But what about surgeries for replacement body parts? Although one million individuals receive hip or knee implants every year, only one manufacturer offers a warranty, and this warranty is only on a partial knee implant.

Lisa McGiffert, director at Consumer Union's Safe Patient Project, believes that manufacturers should provide patients with a 20-year warranty on all implants. This warranty would entitle patients with defective hip and knee implants to obtain total replacements at no cost. McGiffert says that higher numbers of younger people are getting these implants and those getting implants in the older population do so to maintain an active lifestyle, thus highlighting the importance of product safety and longevity.

Consumers Union has data showing that nearly 20 percent of hip replacements and almost 10 percent of knee replacements require additional surgeries to correct defects. The additional surgeries wind up costing patients and insurance companies hundreds of millions of dollars. McGiffert believes that this increased cost should not fall on anyone else's head but the companies who make faulty replacements.

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 Posted on March 16, 2014 in Defective Medical Devices

More research has come out recently that links testosterone therapy to heart conditions. A study published in early January of this year found that men taking testosterone drugs faced a higher risk of heart attack for men over the age of 65. Men younger than 65 but with a history of heart problems also had higher risks for heart attacks, according to the study tracking 56,000 men. Serious medical complications from treatment or medical devices can cause an array of complications or injuries.

The study looked at men between 2008 and 2010, finding that the heart attack risk for men doubled when participating in testosterone therapy. Previous studies had only looked at older men using a high dosage of testosterone gel, although a November 2013 Veterans Affairs study also identified a 30 percent increase in heart attacks, death, and strokes for more than 1200 men taking the testosterone drug.

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 Posted on March 07, 2014 in Birth Injuries

Around the world, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (often called SSRIs) are some of the most commonly prescribed depression medications. In the United States, one of the most popular SSRIs given to patients with depression is Zoloft, which has been linked to dangerous birth defects when taken by pregnant mothers. A new study from the British Medical Journal is the latest authority to lend credence to the risks posed by antidepressants.

The researchers, who reviewed a series of seven studies, found that the risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn was different based on the period of the pregnancy in which the mother took the medication. When SSRIs like Zoloft were taken in the later stages of a pregnancy, mothers faced an increased risk that their children would be affected by PPHN.

Although researchers noted that the risk was comparatively low, PPHN is a serious condition that no parent wants to face. In this condition, the baby's lungs are unable to properly exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. As a result, a newborn could have very low blood oxygen levels, possibly causing damage to organs.

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 Posted on March 04, 2014 in Defective Medical Devices

The federal government's Office of the Inspector General has released their 2014 work plan, and medical device scrutiny features heavily in the goals of the organization. The work plan details all of the hospital-related practices and policies, including quality of care, billing and payments, emergency preparedness, and medical device security. The government has taken a larger role recently in oversight on medical devices after previous research has shown some possible major security holes.

The Office of the Inspector General plans to evaluate Medicare claims to analyze the costs of defective medical devices, linking issues to the impact on the Medicare Trust Fund. Government agencies have previously raised concerns about replacement device costs on Medicare payments.

Portable devices, too, are an issue when it comes to security, since protected electronic health information is often stored inside these machines. Security controls will be explored and loss prevention tactics evaluated to determine how much of an exposure risk patients could face.

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 Posted on February 28, 2014 in Defective Medical Devices

Doctors doing surgery at a hospital in Maine made a discovery regarding the Cordis Opt-ease Vena Cava Filter that have led to investigation and defective device recalls for the item.

The filter is supposed to catch clotted blood traveling through the Vena Cava to hold it there so that the clot doesn't travel farther into the heart or lungs. Doctors struggled to remove the filter from a patient who no longer required it, finding that the instructions for insertion and removal were not accurate.

The filter can also be dislodged in the body, which can be identified using x-rays. Surgery will be needed to reposition or replace the filer if this condition occurs. The filter is not designed for long—term use, since it's supposed to be removed after the patient no longer needs it. Difficulty removing the filter can lead to other complications for the patient involved. Recurrent pulmonary embolism is a life-threatening condition.

Upon discovery of this issue, the FDA issued a recall regarding the labeling instructions that affected 33,000 filters in the United States that were distributed between 2010 and 2013.

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 Posted on February 25, 2014 in Defective Medical Devices

Although medical device manufacturers are supposed to vet their creations extensively before putting them on the market, some products get in the hands of caregivers or patients when there are dangerous consequences or bugs that haven't been addressed.

If you have been injured by a defective medical device, you could suffer pain, complications, and possibly even have to undergo treatment for whatever problems the device caused. After getting medical treatment for the issue, you need to consult with a defective medical device attorney about your case to ensure that you receive any compensation you deserve, and that the device will not continue to cause issues for other people.

There's another step you should take if you are concerned about the product issues affecting other patients. When device manufacturers or government regulators are not aware of an existing problem, there is more of a chance that other patients could be hurt by the device. That's why the Food and Drug Administration maintains a reporting program for these dangerous products.

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 Posted on February 22, 2014 in Defective Medical Devices

Although adult defective medical devices make the news more often, some of the most dangerous devices are those intended for use with children. With so many products and medical devices on the market for children, it can be difficult for parents to stay on stop of which devices are safe to use with infants.

When your child is injured as a result of a defective device, you may be entitled to compensation. You should schedule a consultation with a personal injury attorney for more information about your case.

The Perrigo Company recently issued a recall for 18 batches of the infant syringe/acetaminophen combination package when it was discovered that some syringes had no markings for dosage. Without a proper dosage meter, the chances of a parent or caregiver accidentally giving the baby too much medicine could result in problems for the child.

This medicine is an over the counter product sold at retail outlets around the country. The medication is intended for use with infants who are suffering from minor aches and pains. If you are a parent who believes you may have received a defective syringe, report your concerns to the FDA.

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 Posted on February 18, 2014 in Defective Medical Devices

According to Science Daily, “hundreds of thousands of hip and knee replacement surgeries are performed in the United States each year.” While these procedures are generally very effective at reducing pain and restoring mobility, there is a high rate of failure of these devices. There is such a high rate of failure, in fact, that Dr. Geoffrey Westrich told Science Daily that he's “seen a sharp increase in the number of people coming in for a second hip or knee replacement, called a revision surgery.” These devices are prone to failure so often that people seeking revision surgery is nothing out of the ordinary. Considering the amount of pain and suffering and general immobility that generally accompanies a replacement surgery like this, the high rate of revision surgery is alarming.

According to Dr. Westrich there are several things a patient who has undergone a hip or knee replacement should look for to ensure that he or she does not need a revision surgery. These include, but are not limited to:

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