Hip infection lawyers note a warming blanket used during surgeries may become the subject of a Kansas Bair Hugger lawsuit. Patients claim that the blanket has led to severe infections and the blanket’s manufacturer did not disclose the risks of infection. Patients who have had hip replacement surgery or a heart operation are among those who allege the warming blanket caused them injury. Infections attributed to the use of the warming blankets reportedly resulted in amputations and multiple surgical treatments for some patients.
If you or a loved one developed a severe infection after undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery, a heart procedure, or some other type of surgery, contact Attorney Group for Kansas to learn more. We offer free, confidential, no obligation consultations. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a claim we can connect you with an affiliated Kansas Bair Hugger lawsuit attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What Are Bair Hugger Warming Blankets?
Maintaining a consistent body temperature is essential when a patient is under general anesthesia. Failure to do so can lead to perioperative hypothermia, a condition that causes significant damage to those undergoing surgery. This damage can entail extended hospitals stays due increased risk of infection, in addition to other ill-effects. In some cases patients suffering from perioperative hypothermia may require blood transfusions, as well as an increased need for pain relievers.
To prevent this form of hypothermia from occurring, Dr. Scott Augustine developed the Bair Hugger warming blanket. The device utilizes forced air warming (FAW) technology to ensure patients remain at a safe body temperature during surgical procedures. Bair Hugger warming blankets has been claimed to be more efficient and more effective for surgical patients than using electric blankets or heated blankets. All Bair Hugger warming blankets are designed to be disposable and it is estimated that over 50,000 of them were used in hospitals and surgical clinics throughout the U.S.
How Do Bair Hugger Warming Blankets Work?
The warming blankets are comprised of a disposable forced air warming blanket in addition to a controller. This controller comes with an electric motor and fan, an electric heating element, a thermostat, an air filter, and a hose. To use one of these blankets, the hose nozzle must be connected to the disposable blanket so that the fan can draw air in through the heater, allowing the heating element to get the air to a specific temperature. This heated air then makes its way through the hose and into the blanket.
Alleged Risks of Using Bair Hugger Warming Blankets
Reports have been made to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration claiming that these surgical heating blankets have caught fire during operations, caused burns, and that they have failed to work as they were intended to.
However, a serious risk associated with these blankets, as alleged in lawsuits, is the potential for pathogens to accumulate within the air blower and transfer into a patient’s surgical opening, which can reportedly lead to severe infections and requiring more surgical procedures.
Kansas Bair Hugger Lawsuit Expected
Lawsuits have been filed in Kansas and other states claiming that the manufacturer of Bair Hugger warming blankets was negligent, that they failed to properly warn patients of the dangers associated with using these blankets, and that the manufacturer should be held liable for selling a product that was dangerous. More specifically, some of these lawsuits claim that the maker of these devices:
- Were sold to medical centers without including a warning that there were dangerous risks associated with using the blankets
- Were continually produced, advertised, and marketed even after they knew that using the blankets resulted in dangerous consequences
- Were misrepresented in terms of their safety and effectiveness
- Did not thoroughly test the Bair Hugger FAW system before the blankets were released into the marketplace
Affected patients are seeking encouraged to seek the assistance of a Kansas hip infection lawyer to help them understand their options.
Injured Patients May Be Entitled to Compensation
Medical device makers have a duty to provide safe products. If there are risks of harm associated with their devices, they also must provide adequate warnings. If a device maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable for injuries that may result.
Patients who suffered severe infections from a Bair Hugger warming blanket may be entitled to compensation for damages, including:
- Medical expenses
- The permanency of the injury
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish
- Loss of income or ability to work
If a patient dies from their infection, family members may be entitled to compensation for the wrongful death of their loved one, including:
- Conscious pain and suffering of a loved one prior to death
- Pain, suffering, and mental anguish from the loss of a loved one
- Funeral expenses
Patients who have suffered severe infections from Bair Hugger warming blankets, as well as the families of those who have died as a result of complications with the device, are encouraged to seek the advice of a Kansas Bair Hugger lawsuit attorney to learn more about their rights and remedies.
Contact Us For More Information
For more information, contact Attorney Group for Kansas for more information. You can fill out the form on this page, call us at the number listed at the top of the page, or email us at info@attorneygroup.com.
When you contact us, an attorney will follow up with you to speak with you about your case or answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
See our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information, and contact Attorney Group for Kansas today.
