Medtronic Lead Lawsuit 2010 Update

Are you among the many people experiencing Medtronic Sprint Fidelis Lead problems? If you have a Medtronic defibrillator with Sprint Fidelis leads, you may have difficulty if the leads, or wires, fracture or break. Please contact us for the latest Medtronic lead lawsuit 2010 update.

Sprint Fidelis Leads

Internal cardioverter defibrillators are used to monitor and regulate the heartbeat of patients who suffer from sudden and life-threatening arrhythmias. The defibrillators are implanted in the patient, and the leads channel from the device to the heart. These leads help the device communicate with the heart, and also provide the pathway to deliver an electric jolt if needed, to return the heart to a regular rhythm.

The Sprint Fidelis leads are narrower than previous models, which made them easier to implant. However, patients began experiencing lead problems when the wires began to spontaneously break. When a Medtronic lead fracture occurred, the heart could not accurately communicate with the defibrillator. In some cases, this means that the defibrillator would mistakenly receive a message that the heart was beating irregularly, and therefore the defibrillator would send a jolt of electricity to the heart. In other cases, a heart might be beating abnormally, but the leads would not transmit that message, thereby creating a life-threatening condition.

Medtronic Lead Recall

Unlike a food or pharmaceutical recall, a patient with a questionable Sprint Fidelis lead cannot just discontinue using the product. Because it is intertwined with the heart, it can be tricky to remove the leads. In fact, of the 13 known fatalities attributed to the use of Sprint Fidelis leads, four of them occurred as a result of the process of removing the leads.

While Medtronic did recall the Sprint Fidelis leads, they acknowledge that patients with asymptomatic leads should leave them in place. Those patients are in limbo while they wonder if their device is working, or while they fear an unneeded “kick in the chest.”

Patients who need to have their recalled leads removed are advised to seek a surgeon experienced in lead removal at a medical facility that frequently performs this process.

Patients Frustration Results in Medtronic Lawsuits

Many of the 125,000 people who still have the recalled leads implanted are frustrated. They claim that the Sprint Fidelis leads had problems soon after it hit the market. They believe that Medtronic was aware of these problems, but did not choose to recall the product for years. As a result, patients are filing lawsuits seeking compensation for the injuries, psychological distress and financial expenses they have endured.

If you have a defibrillator with recalled Sprint Fidelis leads, we invite you to contact us for a free consultation to discuss your legal options including filing a Medtronic lead lawsuit. As always, there are never any fees unless we win compensation for your case.