Are you suffering from a defective medical product? If so, you’re not alone. The Food and Drug Administration estimates that more than one million people are injured by defective products every year.
Defective medical products can be anything from hip replacements to transvaginal mesh. The negative effects of these items depend on the different types of product defect.Some defects may cause minor discomfort while others have life-threatening consequences such as drug-coated stents.
This article will explore some of these dangerous types of defective medical products with hopes that this information will help protect your health and well-being against any future incidents.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective medical product, please don’t hesitate to contact a Florida product liability lawyer at Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath.
5 Types of Defective Medical Products
1. Metal Hip Replacement Lawsuit
A hip replacement, also known as arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure that replaces the hip joint with an artificial joint. The artificial joint is made of metal, plastic, or ceramic and is designed to replicate the movement of the original hip joint.
An estimated 500,000 hip replacements are conducted annually. Unfortunately, many of those patients have experienced chronic pain and even disability as the result of faulty hip replacement products.
There are two main defects that have occurred in hip replacements over the years: cobalt poisoning and metal on metal erosion.
- Cobalt poisoning is the result of faulty hip replacements that use metallic cobalt instead of ceramic material to create artificial joints.The cobalt in these products causes patients considerable pain and suffering, but it also poses serious health risks such as cancer.
- Metal on metal hip replacements are just what they sound like: the artificial hip joints are created using two metallic parts. Unfortunately, the metal can be released into the bloodstream through erosion, causing many problems for the patient.
2. Transvaginal Mesh
Transvaginal mesh is an implantable medical device used to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women. Pelvic organ prolapse is a condition where the pelvic organs fall from their normal positions, creating a bulge or protrusion of tissue through the vaginal opening.
Transvaginal mesh is inserted as a hammock-like device that supports the surrounding tissues and allows for proper pelvic organ support. Unfortunately, a number of women have experienced a whole host of serious health problems as a result of defective transvaginal mesh.
One type of violation that has been reported in the use of transvaginal mesh is known as “stick mesh problems” or “incomplete implantation”. Incomplete implantation occurs when the mesh does not engraft into the tissues outside of the vagina, causing a number of problems including pain, infection, and bleeding.
Another problem that has been reported is known as vaginal erosion. Vaginal erosion is a chronic erosion or wearing away of vaginal tissue due to transvaginal mesh protruding through the vaginal opening and rubbing against the vaginal walls.
This erosion can cause severe pain, inflammation, and ulceration of the surrounding tissue as well as bleeding and scarring.
3. Drug-Coated Stents
Drug-coated stents are used to treat coronary artery disease by keeping a blood vessel open and allowing oxygen to flow through.Unfortunately, patients have experienced different types of injuries from the use of these products.
One type of injury is known as “in-stent restenosis”. In-stent restenosis occurs when a blood vessel is reopened by a stent but the opening is not permanent.Over time, the artery narrows and blocks blood flow to the heart muscle, causing pain and other complications including heart attack.
Another injury that has been reported as a result of drug-coated stents is known as “in-stent thrombosis”. Stenosis occurs when a clot begins to form inside the stent after it is implanted, which then travels into the coronary arteries and causes a heart attack or stroke.
4. Essure Birth Control
Essure is a form of permanent birth control that is implanted into the fallopian tubes. The device consists of two metal coils that induce tissue growth and block one of the fallopian tubes, permanently preventing pregnancy.Unfortunately, thousands of women have experienced chronic pain and even organ perforation as a result of Essure.
In some cases, the device migrates from its original implant location into other parts of the body. In others, the Essure coils have been documented to break and cause infection and pain.
5. LASIK Eye Surgery
LASIK is a type of corrective laser eye surgery that can help patients with severe myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness). For some, LASIK surgery can be a life-changing procedure that allows them to live their lives with perfect vision and without the need for corrective lenses.
Unfortunately, not everyone is a LASIK success story and thousands of Americans have experienced vision problems and other injuries as a result of the defective products. One type of injury that has been reported is known as “dry eyes”. Dry eyes are caused when the patient experiences significant discomfort or pain, redness, irritation, and blurred vision after surgery.
Who is responsible for defective medical products?
When patients are injured by a defective medical product, the best way to determine who is responsible for their injuries is to consult with a defective medical device lawyer.
The device manufacturer may be financially liable for any injuries caused by their product. The doctor or hospital that implanted or inserted the device into the patient’s body may also be held accountable.
Contact a Product Liability Lawyer
If you or a loved one has experienced an injury after using a defective medical product, contact the lawyers at Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath today.
We can investigate your case and determine who is responsible for your injuries. We represent victims of defective medical products nationwide and we will work with you to hold all negligent parties accountable for your injuries.
Call us today for a free consultation.
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