Bair Hugger Lawsuit Claims Allege The Surgical Warming Blanket Causes Serious Joint Infections
A Bair Hugger lawsuit claim seeking $1 million in compensatory damages was recently filed in a Texas state court on behalf of a woman who alleges her leg was amputated due to an infection caused by the warming blanket used during her knee replacement surgery. Bair Hugger warming blanket lawsuits filed in state and federal courts allege that 3M and its Arizant Healthcare unit failed to warn that their product can increase the risk of drug-resistant infections in patients undergoing hip and knee replacement surgery. (In Re: Bair Hugger Forced Air Warming Devices Products Liability Litigation – MDL No. 2666)
According to the complaint, the plaintiff underwent a knee replacement procedure in December 2013 and was told after surgery that she had developed an infection in her joint. Since she could not recover from the infection, her leg was subsequently amputated above the knee, according to the complaint, which names as defendants 3M, Arizant, the doctor who performed the implant and the medical center where the implant was performed. (Case No. 2015-73957, District Court of Harris County, Texas)
“Plaintiffs who experience pain and suffering generally seek compensation for their injuries,” says Dr. François Blaudeau, founder of Southern Med Law. The Firm is currently evaluating potential Bair Hugger lawsuits on behalf of patients who suffered an infection after undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery.
3M says its Bair Hugger therapy has been used since 1987 in more than 80 percent of U.S. hospitals and warms more than 50,000 patients each day. Maintaining patients’ normal body temperature reduces surgical bleeding and the need for blood products, decreases the risk of postoperative heart attack and minimizes the risks of other complications, according to 3M. The disposable blanket is attached to a warming unit by a hose. The unit disperses warm air throughout the attached blanket, which is draped over the patient.
[fawfacts.com/_asset/bhbscr/FAW-Facts]
[news.3m.com/press-release/company/3m-bair-hugger-forced-air-warming-celebrates-25-years-hospitals, 3M, April 25, 2012]
Bair Hugger complaints, however, contend that the Bair Hugger system is defective because the forced-air warming unit lifts bacteria from the operating room floor and into the sterile surgical site. Bair Hugger’s investor Dr. Scott Augustine, who is no longer associated with the device, is expected to testify that the warming blanket he developed in the 1980s raises the infection risk in patients undergoing joint surgery, according to a report in the Star Tribune. [startribune.com/lawsuits-turn-up-heat-on-3m-s-bair-hugger-warming-blankets/348191741/, Star Tribune, November 15, 2015]
Bair Hugger lawsuits filed in federal courts nationwide were centralized for pretrial proceedings in the U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota. On December 11, the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) transferred 14 Bair Hugger lawsuits to the Minnesota district court but noted that 51 additional Bair Hugger lawsuits may subsequently be transferred into the newly created multidistrict litigation (MDL).
If you or a loved one developed a prosthetic joint infection after undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery or after receiving an artificial heart valve, please contact the Bair Hugger Lawsuit Attorneys at Southern Med Law for a free legal consultation and get the help you deserve. To speak with one of the firm’s attorneys, please call 205-547-5525 or visit www.southernmedlaw.com and fill out the form on our website.
About Southern Med Law And Filing A Bair Hugger Lawsuit: Southern Med Law Is a Full Service Law Firm Providing Legal Representation To Men and Women across the country in areas of personal injuries, medical malpractice, dangerous drugs, faulty medical devices and defective products. Led by Dr. François Blaudeau, an attorney and a practicing obstetrician/ gynecologist, the legal staff at Southern Med Law possesses a deep understanding of the complex medical and legal questions at issue in all manner of product liability and personal injury claims. They’re not afraid to take on the nation’s largest corporations in their pursuit of justice, and are committed to ensuring that all victims have access to the type of aggressive legal advocacy that assures success.
Southern Med Law
François M. Blaudeau, MD JD FACHE FCLM Esquire
2224 1st Avenue North
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
Phone: 205-547-5525
Fax: 205-547-5526
francois@sml-legal.i-mlaw.com
Medical Negligence/MedicalDevice
Southern Med Law Is A Dedicated And Experienced Law Firm Providing Legal Support To People Who Were Injured By Dangerous Drugs, Medical Devices and Dangerous Products. Contact Us Today To Know Your Rights!
