Medtronic Pacemaker Recall
On February 10, 2005 Medtronic Inc. issued an alert to doctors regarding several models of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) and CRT-D devices with batteries manufactured prior to December 2003. The Medtronic warning was issued because the pacemakers are known to be plagued with defects which can lead to rapid battery depletion. The battery depletion is the result of an internal short. Once the defibrillators malfunction battery depletion may occur over the course of several days or in as little as several hours.
What models could be effected?
The defective implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD's) include the following models which were manufactured between April 2001 and December 2003:
- InSync l Marquis
- Insync ll Marquis
- InSync lll Marquis
- InSync Protect CRT-D
- Marquis DR
- Marquis VR
- Maximo DR ICD's
- Meximo VR ICD's
In addition to the models listed above Medtronic also warned doctors that wires could separate on an older model pacemaker called the Sigma series. Medtronic said it had spotted the wire problem in 19 devices, or 0.05 percent of that class of Sigma pacemakers. It is estimated that perhaps 0.17 percent to 0.30 percent of the devices might develop this problem over the devices projected 10-year life.
Have the defected models been replaced?
To date, Medtronic has found defects in several devices out of 87,000 inspected. Thousands of patients throughout the world rely on these pacemaker like devices. Nearly 75% of Medtronic's defibrillators are implanted in US patients and over 13,000 people have already had the device surgically removed. Medtronic has offered to replace the $20,000 device and pay several thousand dollars in additional expenses however they have not to date committed to pay for the necessary second surgery.
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If you or a loved one have had the device replaced or plan to have it replaced you may be entitled to compensation regardless if you suffered as a result of complications from surgery or the device itself. Contact the Medtronic attorneys of Ennis & Ennis today for a free confidential case evaluation. Our on staff nurse and lawyers are standing by to answer any questions you may have regarding the Medtronic pacemaker defects, a possible Medtronic class action lawsuit, or any other type of Medtronic Pacemaker litigation.
