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A medical device failure can leave individuals facing major surgeries or even death. A Tampa defective medical device attorney at our firm has seen families deal with the devastating consequences of unsafe and defective medical devices.

While patients cannot always escape injuries, they should educate themselves when possible to better understand the risks.

The Types of Medical Devices Recalled Vary

Any number of medical devices can be used by practitioners during medical procedures — from the tools used during surgery to implantable devices placed into a patient's body such as a heart defibrillator or joint replacement hardware.

In many cases patients do not know the specifics prior to surgery.

The FDA list of 2014 medical device recalls contains descriptions of the failure of more than 50 devices that were removed from the market due to failures, including the following:

• Endotracheal tubes
• Ventilator systems
• Diagnostic testing systems
• Insulin cartridges
• Patient heart monitoring systems

Medical progress counts on the continued development of new and improved products by the medical device industry. Unfortunately, that means that product recalls are likely to continue, with 2015 promising to keep pace with 2014.

Patients Seldom Receive Medical Device Recall Notices

Even years after purchase, car owners can generally expect to receive notification in the event that recall notices are issued for their vehicles. Unfortunately, this is not often the case with medical device recalls.

Patients are forced to rely on their doctors to pay close attention to recalls and take immediate action to address the issues. While liability for injuries typically falls to the manufacturers of failed medical devices, legal cases can become complicated when medical providers do not stay on top of recall notices, thus continuing the use of defective devices or delaying vital treatment.

Proactive Patients Can Reduce the Risks, But Not Eliminate Them

When the use of medical devices is obvious — as would be the case for patients going in for hip or knee replacements, for example — patients should ask questions to find out as much as possible about the type and brand of devices being used. Then, patients should use reputable government or medical websites to research possible issues before expressing any potential concerns to medical providers.

In the event that a procedure results in injury, however, patients may not know the exact causes. The defective medical device lawyers at Alley, Clark & Griewe stay on top of medical device and medication issues. To learn if your injuries may have been caused by medical device failure or other medical malpractice issues, call us at 813-222-0977 or use our online contact form.