Becton Dickinson (BD) and C.R. Bard, a subsidiary of the medical technology company, are facing a product liability lawsuit that alleges its Bard PowerPort implantable catheter port device can significantly increase the patient’s risk of suffering from deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The complaint also states that the device can cause blood clots, severe infections, and blood infections, as well as other serious injuries. The plaintiff, a Missouri woman, and her legal team argue that BD is liable for the harm the Bard PowerPort catheter device caused her because the company did not warn patients or doctors about the possible defects of the device, which the company allegedly had known about for some time.
WHAT IS THE BARD POWERPORT CATHETER?
The Bard PowerPort implantable catheter port device can be implanted under the skin to allow simplified, repeated medication administration. While the product was being marketed to the medical community, BD claimed that it could withstand higher pressure levels while an injection is administered. This marketed design made it highly desirable for patients who needed multiple injectable medications during frequent medical procedures and checkups. For example, the Missouri woman who filed the recent lawsuit against BD needs frequent injections of medication for chemotherapy to treat her colon cancer.
IS THE BARD POWERPORT CATHETER DANGEROUS?
Lawsuits adding up against Becton Dickinson allege that the Bard PowerPort implantable catheter is prone to cracking due to design and manufacturing defects. If it cracks or fractures, it fails and can create severe health consequences for the patient.
In the lawsuit filed by the Missouri woman, she went to urgent care a month after the Bard PowerPort device was implanted because her neck was painfully swelling. Doctors discovered that the device had failed and triggered a dangerous deep vein thrombosis, which required major surgery. Even after the implant was removed, she is now expected to live with a permanently increased risk of future DVTs and other cardiovascular injuries.
Severe complications and risks of DVT include:
- Pulmonary embolism
- Hypotension or hypertension
- Stroke
- Heart failure
Another lawsuit was filed recently by another woman who says the Bard PowerPort device failed similarly. However, in her case, the failure was linked to a severe bloodstream infection, rather than DVT. The crack in the device is believed to have caused punctured blood vessels, which became vulnerable to infection.
WHAT DID BECTOR DICKINSON & BARD KNOW?
A device inspection determined that the Bard PowerPort device is made of Chronoflex, a specific type of polyurethane polymer. An imperfection in the formula to make this polymer can cause it to degrade fairly quickly after it is manufactured, though. This type of imperfection is believed to be the cause of many PowerPort failures cited in the growing number of lawsuits.
Furthermore, BD and Bard are accused of knowing that the polymer used to make the PowerPort catheter was defective yet did nothing to warn patients and doctors. One lawsuit alleges that the companies increased their marketing efforts after learning of the first reports of injuries, so they could further the opinion that the PowerPort device is safe. For this reason, the complaints cite fraudulent concealment, breach of implied and express warranty, and violations of consumer protection statutes, as well as design defects, negligence, and failure to warn.
CAN YOU FILE A BARD POWERPORT LAWSUIT?
You could be eligible to file a Bard PowerPort lawsuit if you have had the catheter port device for any medical use or procedure. Potts Law Firm is currently hearing from people who suffered a deep vein thrombosis or related complications after having a Bard PowerPort device implanted. However, we can also help people who have not yet been injured by the PowerPort device but have been instructed by their medical providers to have it removed before harm is done.
Contact us online to schedule a consultation or give us a call at (888) 420-1299.