An implantable port catheter is a medical device that is commonly used for patients receiving long-term intravenous (IV) treatments. However, experts are questioning the safety of these medical devices. If you’ve been injured by a port catheter, know that you are not alone. Thomas Law Offices is a dedicated and unrivaled legal advocate. We are proud to serve injury victims in Kentucky, Illinois, Cincinnati, Ohio, and beyond.
Ready to talk with an implanted port catheter lawyer at no cost to you? Contact us by phone or through our convenient online form. We’ll schedule you for a completely free case evaluation.
Table of Contents
The Purpose of Implanted Port Catheters
An implanted port catheter is a medical device designed to provide easy access to veins. Doctors often use port catheters for administering IV treatments or drawing blood.
A port is implanted underneath the skin, often on the right side of the chest. A flexible tube called a catheter is then threaded into the superior vena cava, a large vein that carries oxygen-poor blood to the heart.
Doctors may use port catheters when treating the following conditions:
- Cancer (especially for the administration of chemotherapy)
- Infections requiring long-term IV antibiotics
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Kidney failure
In addition to providing an access point for IV treatments, implanted ports can also be used to perform blood draws or blood transfusions.
Lawsuits Highlight Risks and Consequences of Implanted Port Catheters
A 10-year retrospective study found that nearly 20% of patients with implanted port catheters experienced complications. Complications can range in severity from minor to catastrophic. Outcomes may involve life-long complications or even death.
Patients who have suffered implanted port catheter injuries have the right to file a lawsuit. These implanted port catheter lawsuits highlight just how dangerous these medical devices can be.
While we cannot discount the life-saving impact ports have had within the medical industry, we also cannot ignore the harm that they cause. Even one preventable injury is one too many.
Why Work With Thomas Law Offices?
At Thomas Law Offices, the needs of our clients always come first. We have created a community of like-minded lawyers who built their careers on a foundation of helping and serving injury victims.
As a client-focused law office, we have the skills needed to:
- Correctly identify the cause of your injury.
- Collect, analyze, and interpret evidence.
- Work alongside experts in the health care field.
- Deal with the big insurance company on your behalf.
- Correctly value the worth of your injury claim.
- Maintain open lines of communication with each and every client.
We are a group of lawyers who care deeply about our clients. Every person that walks through our door knows that they can count on us—and we don’t take that responsibility lightly.
Is There a Recall for Implanted Port Catheters?
The Deltec Port-A-Cath was recalled in 2004 for defects that compromised the device’s sterilization.
More recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Class 1 recall for Arrow International, Inc. port catheters. The FDA has also recalled at least 10 Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc. ports. Ports affected by the recall include those marketed under the names PowerPort and PowerFlow.
Port catheters manufactured by AngioDynamics and Smiths Medical have also faced recalls in the past.
Anyone who has a recalled port implanted in their body should immediately contact their health care provider to arrange for a removal or replacement. After you’ve seen your doctor, schedule a free informational meeting with an implanted port catheter lawyer.
Implanted Port Catheter Lawsuit: Warning Signs Bard Ignored
Bard manufactures around 80% of all port catheter devices in the United States. As the primary manufacturer of these medical devices, they have a responsibility to preserve the safety of patients.
Despite this, Bard ignored all of the early warning signs that something was wrong. The company steadily ignored reports of port or catheter malfunction, degradation, and migration.
Bard chose to overlook problems with their products. Instead, they shifted the blame to doctors and hospitals. For a significant period of time, Bard’s official stance was that their products were safe. In their opinion, it was the health care professionals who were in the wrong.
This attitude allowed dangerous products to stay on the market for far too long.
Implanted Port Catheter Complications
Every medical device brings with it some level of potential harm. This means that doctors must work with patients to decide whether the potential benefits outweigh the risk of harm.
Catheter Migration
In a port catheter, the catheter is a thin, flexible tube that connects the port to a vein.
In certain brands of implanted ports (including those designed and manufactured by Bard, AngioDynamics, and Smiths Medical), the catheter can become dislodged. When this happens, it may move or migrate to other areas in the body, posing a serious health risk.
A dislodged catheter can also cause medications administered through the port to pool under the skin and enter the blood stream. This can further exacerbate the conditions for which patients are receiving treatment.
Damage caused by catheter migration can be permanent or even fatal.
Port Catheter Fracture
An implanted port catheter can be used in the short term for a period of weeks or months. Depending on a person’s illness or condition, ports may be implanted for years or even left there permanently. For this reason, they need to be durable and able to withstand the test of time.
Unfortunately, many ports are not.
The Bard PowerPort, in particular, has been linked to high rates of degradation. This is caused by flex fatigue, which is the constant flexing of the device. Degraded parts can break off in the vein and travel through the body’s circulatory system.
Cardiac punctures, blood clots, and cardiac arrhythmia are just some of the injuries linked to catheter fracture.
Infection
Degradation of implanted port catheters can also cause infection. Cracks in the port or catheter itself allow bacteria in, leading to the growth and spread of infection to the surrounding area. Blood infections, tissue necrosis, and sepsis can occur in patients with degraded ports.
Antibiotics are sometimes effective at treating port-related infections. However, the entire removal of the device is sometimes necessary.
Injuries Linked to Implanted Port Catheters
Please contact Thomas Law Offices if you’ve suffered any of the following port catheter injuries. We’ll help you determine your legal options for recovering compensation.
- Cardiac puncture
- Cardiac arrhythmia
- Cardiac tamponade
- Tissue necrosis
- Sepsis
- Blood infections
- Blood clots (thrombosis)
- Pulmonary embolism
- Stroke
- Ischemia
- Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH)
- Death
If you have an implanted port catheter and experience pain in your shoulder, neck, or ear, contact your doctor right away. These can be signs of port catheter complications. Pain, redness, and swelling at the implantation site can also be cause for concern.
Never ignore signs of potential illness or injury associated with your implanted port catheter.
What if I Don’t Know the Brand of My Port Catheter Device?
You will file an implanted port catheter lawsuit against the company that designed or manufactured your port. So this means that you need to know what port you had (or have) and who made it.
It’s OK if you don’t know this information right now, though. The product liability lawyers at Thomas Law Offices will determine which brand manufactured your port.
We are prepared to hold the following companies (and others) liable for their actions:
- Bard
- AngioDynamics
- Smiths Medical, Inc.
- Arrow International, Inc.
Financial Recovery: Pursuing Compensation for Port Catheter Injuries
An implanted port catheter injury can have devastating physical, emotional, and financial implications. From medical bills and lost wages to lasting pain and mental anguish, a port catheter injury can touch every aspect of your life.
In most implanted port catheter lawsuits, compensatory damages fall into two categories: economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages refer to your financial losses. These may be:
- Co-pays
- Surgical fees
- Hospital and facility fees
- Doctor’s office visits
- Specialist fees
- Bills for imaging tests (including X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs)
- Transportation costs to and from appointments
- In-home care (including domestic services)
- Lost wages and benefits
You’ll need to work closely with a lawyer who has extensive experience investigating and valuing product liability claims. You won’t have a chance to go back and ask for more money in the future. You need to know that the value of your claim is right the first time.
You could also be entitled to non-economic damages that cover your non-financial losses. Examples include:
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Physical pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Decreased quality of life
- Disfigurement or scarring
- New or worse disabilities
- Preventable progression of illness or disease
You deserve to be fully compensated for everything that you’ve been through. But the company that harmed you won’t be eager to pay you a fair settlement.
We cannot stress enough how important it is to correctly value the worth of your claim the first time. Once you accept an offer, there won’t be an opportunity to ask for more money in the future.
Do I Need a Lawyer To File an Implanted Port Catheter Lawsuit?
Large medical device manufacturers already have their own teams of attorneys at their disposal. When you file a lawsuit, you’ll be going up against a big company that has the financial and legal resources to pick apart your claim.
When you’re dealing with medical injuries, you need time to focus on your recovery. And you’ll have that time when you work with an implanted port catheter lawyer.
So no, you don’t have to hire a lawyer to file an implanted port catheter lawsuit. But having a legal representative by your side will simplify the process for you and your family. Thomas Law Offices will take on the burden of investigating your claim and building a case. It will be our job to collect and analyze evidence. We’ll deal with the manufacturer and their insurance company.
When you work with Thomas Law Offices, we’ll take care of the legal side of things. The only thing you’ll need to worry about is getting better.
Speak With an Implanted Port Catheter Lawyer for Free
Financial resources should never be a barrier to quality legal representation. That’s why we offer completely free case evaluations to injury victims and their families. There’s no cost to learn about your legal options.
We’re also proud to take many cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that you don’t owe us anything unless we win your case for you.
Medical care shouldn’t hurt. An implanted port catheter lawsuit can be your path to a healthier, happier, and more financially secure future. Contact us today to schedule your no-cost informational meeting.
Who We Are
Reviews
