Personal Injury Law

Dangerous Medical Device - Infusion Pump Recall

Cardinal Health, an $87 billion global manufacturer of medical equipment, announced today the voluntary recall of all Alaris Pump modules shipped prior to September 27th. These Alaris Pump modules (also known as the Medley Pump module) have dangerously defective spring mechanisms which can make these defective medical devices dangerous and deadly.

The purpose of infusion pumps is to introduce fluids (medication, saline, blood, etc.) into the body with regular, repeat precision. These machines can administer as little as 0.1 ml per hour, which is much smaller than a drip or injection by nursing staff can deliver--when these devices work.

The Alaris Pump module is used for all age groups, including infants, and for any number of fluid infusions. The danger of this medical device is in its defective occluder springs. Defects in the devices' occluder springs were caused by springs being misassembled (bent, broken, or missing); these little coils of metal regulates how much fluid is administered. Already two people have died allegedly from these defective medical devices.

These Alaris Pump modules were distributed to 46 states (including Tennessee), to Canada, and overseas. Overinfusion caused by defective springs may be difficult for medical personal to detect because these misassembled springs may operate with varying degrees of regularity. Serial numbers for defective devices can be found at Cardinal Health?s defective Alaris Pump recall page.

If you have suffered injury from an Alaris Pump or other defective medical device, contact the experienced Nashville, TN defective products lawyers at Higgins, Himmelberg & Piliponis by dialing (615) 353-0930 or fill out our defective medical device and recalls contact form.

Full post as published by Tennessee Law Blog on December 26, 2007 (boomark / email).