Medtronic Sprint Fidelis Leads Still a Shocking Concern for Patients
December 26th, 2007 amy
Although it’s been a few months since Medtronic recalled its potentially deadly Sprint Fidelis leads, which may fracture and shock patients to death or stop delivering life-saving shocks when needed, many patients implanted with the leads are still worried. Because it’s dangerous and expensive to replace the leads, those already implanted must simply wait out their fate. Will their defibrillators continue to function properly, or will they end up hospitalized or dead before Medtronic is forced to take responsibility for their suffering?
In a recent LawyersandSettlements.com article, Heidi Turner reports on the runaround one woman, Jane Adams, has gotten from Medtronic since she began experiencing problems related to the defibrillator she was implanted with in June 2006. She suffered unnecessary shock from the defibrillator while swimming in her pool. Medtronic blamed her pool, even though Adams swims in her pool frequently.
“When I felt the zap, I thought maybe the leads can’t hold the power from the defibrillator,” Adams says. “Medtronic hasn’t made it clear why the leads fray. Is it the movement and extra exercise or is it the power from the defibrillator? Am I supposed to just continue on with the leads in my chest and once 30 months has passed we’ll know for sure if my leads are frayed?”
Medtronic faces multiple lawsuits for its Sprint Fidelis leads, both from those injured and those whose suffering is in the pain of waiting. Documents in many of the lawsuits filed describe being implanted with the defective defibrillator wires as akin to walking around with a ticking time bomb in one’s chest.
