One of the most frightening statements a heart doctor can say to a patient is, “You have a pulmonary embolism or lung artery blockage.” A pulmonary embolism (PE) is a severe condition that stops blood from properly flowing to the lungs and can lead to death if not treated extremely quickly. Time is often of the essence when it comes to choosing a treatment plan for this condition. There are a few options available to heart patients suffering from a pulmonary embolism or those with high-risk factors.
What started as a promising treatment has turned into one of the most potentially dangerous treatment plans. That is the option of performing surgery to insert an inferior vena cava filter (IVC filter). If you or someone you know has had this surgery performed or is planning on inserting an IVC filter, make it a priority to contact a Louisville IVC filter lawyer. There is some vital information you need to be aware of in order to help you make an informed decision about your best course of action.
Don’t wait. At Thomas Law Offices, we are ready to fight for you.
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Why Is It Potentially Dangerous?
An IVC filter is a small, cage-like medical device used to prevent blood clots in the inferior vena cava, a major vein that carries blood to the lungs from the heart. The filter is inserted during surgery and is designed as a permanent device that will stop a blood clot should it travel to the lungs. IVC filters are only generally recommended after anticoagulation treatment courses and medication are offered for patients with PE, and those treatment courses are not successful. They can also be inserted when a patient risks developing a pulmonary embolism.
In theory, the device can prevent heart attacks, which traveling blood clots may cause. In practice, however, the devices have been proven to cause severe complications in many cases. There are defects in the design of the device which can lead to the device migrating, tilting, detaching, perforating, or fracturing over time, potentially causing the following complications:
- Cardiac tamponade (fluid buildup)
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Pulmonary embolism (in at-risk cases)
- Severe pain
- Shortness of breath
- Hemorrhage
- Respiratory distress
- Death
Adverse complications involving IVC filters tend to have a higher chance of occurring the longer the device is inserted. In particular, they often happen when a patient is no longer at risk for a pulmonary embolism. While originally designed as a permanent medical device, it is now clear that these filters do not hold up well in the long term.
Because of the risks and recommendations, many patients have opted for removal.
Unfortunately, those procedures can trigger additional complications. Those can be part of the lawsuit against the IVC filter manufacturer. Here are some of the complaints:
- Multiple removal procedures
- Fractured and punctured veins
- Organ perforation and damage
- Inability to remove the device permanently
What Should I Do if I Have an IVC Filter?
The FDA currently recommends that all patients with an IVC filter get the device surgically removed as soon as protection from PE is no longer necessary. The FDA also encourages all physicians who still perform the surgery to properly inform their patients regarding the above risks and that they will need to have the device removed at some point.
Despite these recommendations and warnings, hundreds of patients have received the surgery without proper knowledge about the risks and the fact that IVC filters do not hold up well in the long term. Many physicians are not even aware of the current risk factors. Post-surgical long-term care is also not something many surgeons prioritize when performing operations like IVC filter insertion.
If you fall into the above situation, make sure to discuss your case with a Louisville IVC filter lawyer today.
Recent Cases with Medical Manufacturers
Various manufacturers of IVC filters became aware of problems with their products and issued recalls starting in 2005. The following medical manufacturers made the IVC filters named in recent lawsuits:
- C.R. Bard
- Cook Medical
- Cordis
- Boston Scientific
- ALN
- Rex Medical
- Argon Medical Devices
The majority of pending lawsuits have named Cook Medical as the at-fault party.
There are hundreds of patients in the United States who have experienced severe medical complications—and death in some cases—due to the defects in these filters. Many of these patients and their families feel that the manufacturers of IVC filters need to do more to fix the defects of their products, inform physicians and patients regarding the defects and their associated risk factors, and take the filters off the market if necessary.
Help Is Available from Our Louisville IVC Filter Lawyer
Several IVC filter lawsuits are winding their way through the court systems. Several have resulted in positive outcomes, such as a $1.2 million verdict in Pavlock v. Cook Medical. Additionally, a Pennsylvania jury awarded $34 million to a Georgia woman who was injured by a Rex Medical Option IVC filter.
Legally, it falls to the responsibility of the device manufacturers to ensure the facts are available to anyone who wishes to have the procedure done. A simple FDA warning is not enough. Patients who have had surgery performed in the past also need to be informed regarding the importance of device retrieval.
Legal aid is available if you or someone you love has an IVC filter or has experienced medical complications due to the device. It’s not too late to get involved in the pending cases directed toward both filter manufacturers. For more information or a free legal evaluation, don’t hesitate to contact Thomas Law Offices today. Our Louisville IVC filter lawyer will be happy to discuss your case.
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