Someone is always the first victim of dangerous medical devices, and often many people are hurt before there is publicity about the potential dangers of a specific medical product. Thus, it is impossible to list all of the potential medical devices that could result in injury. If you’ve been hurt by any medical device, then it is important to contact both your doctor and an experienced pharmaceutical injury lawyer as soon as possible.
11 Medical Devices That Could Cause Health Problems
Over the past few years, some medical devices and procedures that have resulted in adverse events include:
- Biomet hip implants. Biomet M2a Magnum hip replacements allegedly resulted in metal poisoning and premature hip failure for some patients. In 2014, Biomet settled the claims of injured patients who had filed lawsuits.
- Da Vinci surgical robots. Surgical robots allow for smaller incisions and shorter recovery times—when there are no complications. Unfortunately, da Vinci surgical robots have been linked to burns, bleeding, punctures, and other serious complications.
- DePuy hip implants. Some models of metal-on-metal hip replacements made by DePuy, such as the ASR and Pinnacle hip replacement lines, have been linked to metal poisoning. Some patients who have been hurt have recovered significant settlements or verdicts.
- Gastrointestinal scopes. Important diagnoses are made and useful treatments are provided with the help of gastrointestinal scopes. Yet, patients allegedly face a significant risk of infection due to the design of these medical devices.
- IVC filters. These filters are used to prevent blood clots from migrating to the brain, lungs, or heart. Unfortunately, serious injuries have been reported when the filters have migrated or broken apart.
- Mirena IUD. This intrauterine device is a form of birth control that can be inserted during a doctor’s office visit and can prevent pregnancy for up to five years. However, dangerous and life-threatening conditions have been reported by some Mirena users, and lawsuits have been filed to protect their recoveries.
- NuvaRing. NuvaRing is a different kind of birth control. The plastic ring is inserted near the cervix for three weeks, and then removed and replaced by a new ring one week later. Unfortunately, NuvaRing was linked to a higher risk of dangerous blood clots. In 2014, Merck agreed to a $100 million settlement with women who had been hurt by this device.
- Overactive bladder treatments. Oxytrol patches and Botox have been used by doctors to treat overactive bladders. However, serious urinary tract infections and other dangerous complications have resulted from these treatments for some patients.
- Power morcellators. Power morcellators are surgical instruments intended to break down the uterus or uterine fibroids while they are still in the body. These tools would, it was hoped, allow for smaller incisions and faster recovery times. Medical experience has found that if the tissue broken up in the body is cancerous, then the cancer can spread to other parts of the body.
- Transvaginal mesh. Transvaginal mesh is used to treat pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence, but for many patients it has resulted in significant pain, infection, and other complications. In 2016, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reclassified transvaginal mesh from a class II moderate-risk device to a class III a high-risk medical device.
If you live in Illinois then your time to file a lawsuit is limited. You deserve to know more about your rights and to make an informed decision about whether or not you want to proceed with a lawsuit if you were hurt by a medical device. Please reach out to us any time to schedule your free consultation. We are available to you around the clock, every day of the year.