When parts of your body fail due to trauma, disease or age, modern medicine can offer amazing options. There are synthetic joints available for those with pain in their hips and knees. There are meshes and rods that can reinforce herniated or broken tissue. There are even medical devices that surgeons can implant in your body to keep your heart operating properly.
Unfortunately, the more critical the function of a medical device is, the more risky its failure becomes. When it comes to cardiac devices, temporary failure could mean catastrophic consequences including brain damage or death for the patient involved. A recent Class 1 recall will affect hundreds of thousands of people with cardiac issues in the United States.
Medtronic just initiated a Class 1 recall
There are multiple categories for recalls, but Class 1 is the most serious. It involves a product failure that could cause injury or death to individuals. Defective heart implants with battery issues that prevent them from functioning when the body requires their support could fail to do what they were designed to do.
Currently, Medtronic is in the process of recalling almost a quarter of a million implantable devices meant to help with heart issues. Those who have a Amplia, Brava, Claria, Compai, Evera, Visia or Viva model distributed from between August of 2012 and May 2018 could have an affected device.
Both the individual dealing with the medical fallout of a faulty device and the need for additional surgery or those whose loved ones suffered permanent injury or death because of a defective medical device may have no choice but to take legal action against the manufacturer responsible for the device.
