If a patient is at risk of developing deadly blood clots but cannot take blood thinners to prevent clots, another option is to implant inferior vena cava filters into the patient's veins. These filters catch blood clots, which then eventually dissipate in the bloodstream. The filters keep the clots from reaching major organs and becoming potentially life-threatening.
Unfortunately, several different kinds of IVC filters caused serious complications for patients and caused them to undergo extensive medical treatment that would have otherwise been unnecessary. Over time, the following could occur:
- The filters fracture and pieces can migrate in the body
- The entire device comes loose and can migrate in the body
Once a piece of the filter or the entire filter migrate, it can cause perforation of major organs, which can result in serious and life-threatening injury, usually requiring surgery and hospitalization. One victim's filter perforated his heart and he required emergency open heart surgery.
The IVC filters that have been called into question include the following manufactured by companies Cook Medical and C.R. Bard:
- Cook Celect filter
- Cook Gunther Tulip filter
- Bard G2 filter
- Bard G2 Express filter
- Bard Recovery filter
Manufacturers should be held accountable for unnecessary injuries
Manufacturers of medical devices such as IVC filters have the legal duty to design, produce, and sell products that are safe for use in medical treatment and that will not have potentially dangerous effects or complications. Additionally, if there are possibly serious side effects, companies should properly warn potential users of the risks of using the medical device.
Legal claims against the IVC filter manufacturers claim that both Cook Medical and C.R. Bard failed to provide adequate warning of the risks of the filters, misrepresented the safety of the filters, and negligently sold a defectively designed product. Many lawsuits are currently pending against these manufacturers and, if you have suffered serious injuries and complications due to IVC filters, you should speak with an experienced lawyer as soon as possible regarding your rights to recovery. The IVC filter attorneys at Michigan Injury Lawyers are here to help, so please call (888) 454-0801 for a free consultation today.