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Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) are used to prevent cardiac deaths.   Product flaws, however, have caused malfunctions in many of these ICDs. Defective Guidant™ defibrillators have failed at least 45 times and have been linked to at least two deaths.  Guidant™ has recalled about 50,000 ICDs due to potential short-circuiting malfunction, and the company has announced that another 45,000 devices may have faulty switches.

The Medtronic Marquis™ family of ICD and CRT-D (Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy) devices with batteries manufactured prior to December 2003 may be prone to rapid battery depletion due to a short-circuiting problem. If the defibrillator’s battery fails, the ICD malfunctions.

In February 2005, Medtronic™ issued a statement that 87,000 units were sold with the defective batteries. The defective defibrillators include Marquis® VR (model 7230) and DR (model 7274), Maximo® VR (model 7278), InSync I /II /III Marquis™, and InSync III Project™ (models 7277, 7289).

Some of the affected models include:

• Contak Renewal (Model H135), manufactured on or before August 26, 2004.
• Contak Renewal (Model H155), CRT-D, manufactured on or before August 26, 2004.
• Contak Renewal AVT
• Contak Renewal 3
• Contak Renewal 4
• Ventak Prizm 2 DR (Model 1861), manufactured on or before April 16, 2002.
• Ventak Prizm AVT
• Vitality AVT
• Renewal 3 AVT
• Renewal 4 AVT
• Renewal RF

If you have been injured because of a defective Guidant or Medtronic Marquis defibrillator, contact Ward Black Law at 1-800-531-9191 for a free consultation or contact us via email.

Medtronic Recall - Sprint Fidelis defibrillator leads
October 15, 2007 Medtronic, the leader of implantable heart devices, issued a voluntary recall of their Sprint Fidelis defibrillation leads. The leads can break causing the defibrillator to malfunction causing unnecessary shocks to the heart or to not function at all when needed. 268,000 Sprint Fidelis leads have been implanted worldwide including 172,000 in the United States. Medtronic has instructed physicians worldwide to discontinue use of these leads and instructed them to return any leads they have in their inventory.
 
A lead is part of an implantable heart defibrillation system. The lead is a thin insulated wire that runs from the defibrillator into the heart to detect the hearts rhythm. The lead sense the heart’s rhythm and the defibrillator delivers therapy (correction of a fast or slow heart rate) as needed.
 
Affected defibrillator models are 6930, 6931, 6948 and 6949.
 
Our firm is investigating claims arising from defibrillators which have malfunctioned. If your physician has recommended that you have removal or replacement of the lead to your defibrillator you should check your identification card to determine if it is a Medtronic Sprint Fidelis Lead.
 
You should contact your physician, especially if you have experienced multiple shocks, lightheadedness, fainting or palpations. If you are not experiencing any problems, the FDA has stated that patients should not routinely request removal of the device as the risks of removal far exceeds the small risk of lead fractures.

If you have been injured because of a defective Sprint Fidelis defibrillator leads, contact Ward Black Law at 1-800-531-9191 for a free consultation or contact us via email.

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