Bard Concealed Dangers Of Implantable PowerPort Device In Pursuit Of Profits Featured
Bard knew of design flaws and risks of its PowerPort implantable device yet chose to conceal these facts from the medical community.
About The Bard PowerPort Lawsuits
Over the last few years, the defects in the PowerPort have led to a growing number of Bard PowerPort lawsuits. These lawsuits are being filed by individuals who had the Bard PowerPort implanted and were seriously injured when the PowerPort fractured or malfunctioned post-implantation.
The lawsuits are being filed against the manufacturer, Bard Access Systems Inc., and its parent company, Beckton Dickinson. The product liability lawsuits, that are now a class action lawsuit in Arizona that houses all federal cases against Bard, allege that Bard was aware of the problems with the device. They also allege that rather than alter the design of the PowerPort to make it safer or adequately warn of the dangers associated with the PowerPort, Bard continued to actively and aggressively market the device as safe, despite their knowledge of numerous reports of catheter fracture, infection and other serious injuries.
Moreover, the lawsuits claim that Bard’s warnings suggested that fracture of the device could only occur if a physician incorrectly placed the device such that “compression or pinch-off” was allowed to occur. In reality, however, Bard knew internally these devices were fracturing and causing serious injuries due to defects in the design, manufacturing and lack of adequate warnings. In other words, Bard tried to blame the flaws in the device on the doctors.
There are three main issues behind every Bard PowerPort lawsuit:
- Bard’s negligent failure to provide adequate warnings;
- Bard’s negligent design of the PowerPort, and
- strict liability based on a manufacturing defect.
Bard PowerPort Complications & Failures
The design flaws and manufacturing issues with the Bard PowerPort have made the device prone to 3 primary complications or post-implantation failures. These three primary complications are described below.
1. Fracture of the PowerPort
The most common failure or complication experienced with the Bard PowerPort is fracture of the port. The flaws with the material that the PowerPort is made from make it brittle. As a result, the tubing and other parts of the device are prone to fracture or break off and become lodged in the patient’s vascular system. Fracture of the PowerPort can lead to very serious injuries and vascular damage.
2. Migration of the PowerPort
The same design flaws that make the Bard PowerPort likely to fracture, also make the device prone to post-implantation migration (moving out of its original position). The migration usually involves the flexible tube parts that are inserted into the blood vessel. Migration can occur by itself or in combination with a fracture of the Bard PowerPort.
3. PowerPort Infection
The flawed nature of the material that the Bard PowerPort is made out of allows bacteria to enter when the material fractures or becomes degraded. As a result, infections originating at the site of the port are the third major complication associated with this device.
Understand Your Legal Rights
If you or a loved one was injured by a defective Bard PowerPort implant you may be entitled to compensation. Please fill out the form on this page and a Bard PowerPort lawyer will contact you to discuss your situation at no charge. There is no obligation to you.