Bard Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) Filters were introduced to the medical community as a means to prevent blood clots from traveling to vital organs and inducing further complications. However, medical devices such as these may exhibit an increased propensity for fracturing and subsequent migration of displaced components, which may cause severe, life-threatening injuries. Patients who receive a Bard IVC Filter may significantly increase their risk of suffering from a severe hemorrhage, pulmonary embolism, respiratory distress, perforation of tissue and even death.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a Bard IVC Filter, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free confidential case evaluation. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and we can help.
Bard IVC Filter Lawsuit Overview
IVC filters are small, cage-like devices that are inserted into the inferior vena cava (the main vessel returning blood from the lower half of the body to the heart) to capture blood clots and prevent them from reaching the lungs. IVC filters are frequently placed in patients at risk for pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lungs) when anticoagulant therapy cannot be used or is ineffective. Some patients may require long-term protection from pulmonary embolism (PE), and implantation of permanent IVC filters is often performed in these cases. Others only require short-term protection, in which case retrievable IVC filters are typically used, as these devices have the option to be removed once the patient’s risk of PE subsides.
As a product of Bard Peripheral Vascular, a subsidiary of C.R. Bard Inc., Bard IVC Filters were introduced to the U.S. market in 2003. However, the device was removed from the market just two years later after it demonstrated a propensity for injury and high failure rates. Accordingly, Bard released the G2 IVC Filter in 2005. Despite the advertising claiming that the G2 Filter possessed “enhanced fracture resistance” and “enhanced migration resistance,” the product has been associated with a high rate of fracture and failure. The struts or legs of Bard IVC Filters may be prone to fracture and then migrate to other locations in the body, particularly the heart or lungs, where they could cause severe and potentially life-threatening injury. Due to the severe nature of these injuries, patients may contact a lawyer at The Senators (Ret.) Firm, LLP for a free case evaluation regarding their potential Bard IVC Filter lawsuit.
Bard IVC Filter Side Effects
Bard IVC filters have demonstrated a propensity for fracturing and the subsequent migration of displaced components. As a result, the fractured pieces left in the inferior vena cava may migrate to the heart or the lungs, resulting in severe, life-threatening complications and injuries. In the event that such a migration occurs, patients may experience the following side effects:
- Death
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Hemorrhage
- Pulmonary embolism
- Respiratory compromise
- Cardiac/pericardial tamponade (pressure caused by a collection of blood in the area around the heart)
- Severe and persistent pain
- Perforation of tissue, vessels, and organs
FDA Summary of Problems
According to an FDA Safety Communication, the agency has received 921 device adverse event reports involving IVC filters since 2005, of which 328 involved device migration, 146 involved embolizations (detachment of device components), 70 involved perforation of the IVC, and 56 involved filter fracture. Some of these events led to adverse clinical outcomes in patients. These types of events may be related to a retrievable filter remaining in the body for long periods of time, beyond the time when the risk of pulmonary embolism has subsided.
The FDA is concerned that these IVC filters, intended for short-term placement, are not always removed once a patient’s risk for pulmonary embolism subsides. Known long term risks associated with IVC filters include but are not limited to lower limb deep vein thrombosis (DVT), filter fracture, filter migration, filter embolization and IVC perforation.
Bard IVC Filter Lawsuit
The defective nature of these medical devices has served as a catalyst for Bard IVC Filter lawsuits in the United States. June 9, 2009 witnessed plaintiffs file a lawsuit in the Arizona Superior Court against C.R. Bard, Inc. and Bard Peripheral Vascular, Incorporated. The plaintiffs, each of whom allegedly experienced failure of the medical device, suffered from severe injuries as a result. Their Bard IVC Filter lawsuit sought compensation for such injuries.
On June 15, 2009, a lawsuit was filed in federal court in New York against the same parties on behalf of plaintiffs who also experienced injuries from the failure of Bard IVC Filter systems. The Bard IVC lawsuit claims that the device was defective and therefore responsible for the life-threatening injuries the plaintiffs sustained. Plaintiffs involved in this Bard IVC Filter lawsuit are currently seeking damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and more.
Do I Have a Bard IVC Filter Lawsuit?
The trial lawyers at The Senators (Ret.) Firm, LLP have decades of experience navigating through complex legislative and regulatory issues and litigating high stakes cases all over the nation. Our law firm focuses on the representation of plaintiffs in Bard IVC Filter lawsuits. We are currently accepting new cases in all 50 states.
Again, if you or a loved one has been injured by a Bard IVC Filter, you should contact our lawyers immediately by clicking the link below or calling toll free 1-(949) 557-5800. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and we can help.