A medical manufacturer recently faced lawsuit for its allegedly defective device
When you or a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, the tumultuous and overwhelming journey that follows requires an abundance of effort. From painstaking treatments to sleepless nights spent worrying about results and outcomes, navigating this life-changing experience can be extremely difficult. Unfortunately, it can become increasingly complex when medical device defects come into play. If you or someone close to has been affected by port-a-cath failures as they battle their cancer diagnosis, know that relief may soon be on the horizon – a medical manufacturer recently faced damages for its allegedly defective device.
Plaintiffs have taken legal action against Defendants due to the potential damage caused by their allegedly defective device, sold under the name Bard PowerPort ClearVue Implantable Port, also known as Port-A-Cath, Port Catheter, or Chemo Port.
According to Defendants, the PowerPort is a totally implantable vascular access device designed to provide repeated access to the vascular system for the delivery of medication, intravenous fluids, parenteral nutrition solutions, and blood products.
The purpose of the PowerPort is to make it easier to deliver medications directly into the patient’s bloodstream. The device is surgically placed completely under the skin and left implanted. The injection port has a raised center, or septum where the needle is inserted for delivery of the medication. The medication is carried from the port into the bloodstream through a small, flexible tube, called a catheter, that is inserted into a blood vessel.
To see the full complaint, download the Port-A-Cath Complaint filed on 2023-02-10
The PowerPort is a system consisting of two primary components: an injection port and a polyurethane catheter. According to Defendants’ marketing materials, the polyurethane catheter “has less propensity for surface biodegradation, making it more resistant to environmental stress cracking.”
The mechanical integrity of a barium sulfate-impregnated polyurethane is affected by the concentration of barium sulfate as well as the homogeneity of the modified polymer. This defect in the manufacturing process led to a heterogeneous modified polymer which led to an irregular catheter surface replete with fissures, pits and cracks. Although the surface degradation and resulting risk of thromboembolism can be reduced or avoided with design modifications to encapsulate the radiopaque compound or by using a different polymer formulation, Defendants elected not to incorporate those design elements into the PowerPort.
When you’re fighting cancer, the last thing on your mind is a malfunctioning port-a-cath – the device that allows chemotherapy to be administered intravenously. Unfortunately, those who have suffered injury or damages due to a defect in their port-a-cath may now look to the manufacturer of these devices for compensation. If you or your loved ones have questions about if you may have been impacted by Port Catheters as well, please let us know, and we may be able to help.
