Additional Resources
Medical Malpractice
Cerebral Palsy
Accident Attorneys
|
Defibrillator
Lawyers Alert: FDA Issues Nationwide Notification of
Recall of Certain Guidant Implantable Defibrillators
There are approximately 50,000 patients in the United States with
one of these recalled defibrillators. Guidant Corp. has said that the
devices have malfunctioned at least 45 times, causing two deaths.
Recalls linked to ICD's are not uncommon, and
with heart disease still the number one cause of death in the United States,
the safety of these medical devices is of great concern.
These surgically implanted defibrillators can develop an internal
short circuit without warning, resulting in failure to deliver a shock when
needed. The devices are implanted under the collarbone and wired to the
heart of patients suffering from life-threatening heart arrhythmia (abnormal
rhythm). When functioning properly the units can detect when the heart is
beating out of rhythm, and deliver a series of electrical shocks to correct
the arrhythmia.
The recalls are linked to a potential flaw where
some could short circuit and not work at all. So, at the very moment when
the patient's life depends on the reliability of the ICD, the device can
malfunction.
 A
defibrillator is a medical device that uses an electric shock to the
heart in order to
re-establish normal heart rhythm.
How Defibrillators Work |
The MEDLAW Legal Team
is a nationally recognized law firm dedicated to representing
victims of faulty medical devices. Please learn more about our
lawyers, and contact us for a
free claim review. |
| 
|
What is a defibrillator?
Why has Guidant recalled several of their heart
defibrillators?
When is it used?
How does it work?
What will it accomplish?
What are the risks?
What models of Guidant defibrillators have been
recalled?
What about Electromagnetic Interference?
When should it not be used?
How do I know if my defibrillator is malfunctioning?
Why should I contact a lawyer?
What models of Guidant Defibrillators have been recalled?
The following implantable heart defibrillators have been recalled by Guidant
Corp.:
- PRIZM 2 DR, Model 1861, manufactured on
or before April 16, 2002
- CONTAK RENEWAL, Model H135, manufactured
on or before August 26, 2004
- CONTAK RENEWAL 2, Model H155,
manufactured on or before August 26, 2004
Guidant also recently informed FDA that it is
recalling another set of defibrillator devices called PRIZM AVT, VITALITY
AVT, RENEWAL 3 AVT and RENEWAL 4 AVT. The company has said the devices are
subject to a memory error, which may affect device performance.
How do I know if my defibrillator is
malfunctioning?
There may not be any signs, but the FDA recommends:
- If you have not already been notified,
contact your doctor to determine if you have an affected PRIZM 2, CONTAK
RENEWAL, or CONTAK RENEWAL 2 device.
- Continue to keep your regular doctor
appointments.
- If you feel an electrical shock from
your device, immediately contact your doctor.
- If there is an audible "beeping" from
your CONTAK RENEWAL or RENEWAL 2 device, immediately contact your doctor
or go to the nearest emergency room. Beeping may mean that your
defibrillator is damaged.
Why should I contact a lawyer?
With the recall of certain Guidant defibrillators, there is some evidence
that Guidant Corp. may have known of the faulty devices for some time prior
to alerting the FDA, doctors, and patients. Negligently designed and
manufactured medical devices place patients at risk and can have serious,
life-threatening, effects. If you have one of these recalled heart
defibrillators, and have suffered due to their malfunction, you may have a
legal claim against the manufacturer.
Our in-house
legal team consists of a physician, five registered nurses, 10 attorneys,
and more than 30 staff-members. As one of the nation's premier
pharmaceutical liability law firms, we represent consumers nationwide who
have been victimized by defective pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices,
including Guidant defibrillators. We have the experience to protect your
legal rights and to help you obtain the compensation you deserve. If you or
a loved one has suffered serious side effects from a defective
defibrillator, please contact us for
an immediate case evaluation.
Many law firms that advertise aggressively on the Internet are actually
client brokers who refer virtually all clients to lawyers in other firms and
other cities who do the actual work of representing the client. Janet,
Jenner & Suggs, LLC, is a traditional law firm that actively represents all
of our clients.
Robert K. Jenner and
Kenneth Suggs,
leaders of the pharmaceutical department within the firm, will always be
accessible to you. Mr. Jenner and Mr. Suggs, nationally recognized advocates
on behalf of victims of defective pharmaceutical products, and their highly
experienced team, will always be ready to answer your questions.
We encourage you to
contact our lawyers today for an immediate free claim
evaluation. You may be eligible to participate in a class action lawsuit on
behalf of patients who have been injured, or who have died, due to the
serious malfunction of Guidant ICDs. Call
1-888-4-MEDLAW or complete our
online claim evaluation form.
| |
The
FDA has notified doctors and patients that the Guidant Corporation
is recalling certain of its implantable defibrillators.