Lawsuits have been filed over injuries allegedly caused by Gunther Tulip inferior vena cava filters. Plaintiffs claim that the filters have a tendency to break inside the vein, making them ineffective and posing unnecessary risks. A Gunther Tulip IVC filter attorney representing patients alleges that the devices have punctured vital organs, leading to serious injury and in some cases, death. Affected patients are seeking assistance from an IVC Filter Attorney to help them recover compensation for their injuries.
If you or a loved one suffered complications after an IVC filter procedure, contact Attorney Group to learn more. We offer free, confidential, no obligation consultations. We can help answer your questions and inform you of your options. If you choose to pursue a claim, we can connect you with an affiliated IVC filter attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What Are IVC Filters?
People who are at high risk for a blood clot in the lungs are often placed on anticoagulants, or blood thinners, to prevent these clots from forming in the legs and pelvis. However, not everyone is a candidate for this treatment, either because they are at a high risk of bleeding or they demonstrate a failure to respond to blood thinners.
For those patients, many doctors recommend the placement of an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter for the large vein located in the abdomen and which returns blood to the heart from the legs. This filter is a cone-shaped wire device intended to catch the blood clots so they are unable to move toward the lungs and heart, while still allowing blood to flow around the clot and through the device.
IVC Filter Complications
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves all retrievable IVC filters for long-term use as well as the intended short-term functions. However, the FDA noted in its 2014 update on safety issues associated with the filters, the longer the devices are left in place the more likely it is for complications to arise and that hey also become increasingly difficult for doctors to remove.
Although retrievable filters have been an effective solution for many patients, the FDA has logged hundreds of adverse events related to these devices since they were first used. The longer the filter is in place, the more difficult it is to remove because of problems such as scar tissue, which can build up around the prongs of the trap. Some filters have been known to tip to one side so that a prong pierces the wall of the vein. In other instances, the filter migrates upward, or the prongs break off and travel to the lungs or heart. All of these events have the potential to cause serious harm, and even death.
Gunther Tulip IVC Filter Attorneys Note Other IVC Filter Risks
Cook Medical, the manufacturer of the Gunther Tulip IVC filter, states on its directions for use that the removal of the filter is optional. It also lists several risks associated with the device that includes the following:
- Damage to the vena cava
- Hematoma at vascular access site
- Perforation of the vena cava
- Thrombosis or occlusion in the vena cava
- Death
- Hemorrhage
One patient reportedly suffered severe pain for almost 10 years after a Gunther tulip filter was implanted. The woman was told that the filter didn’t need to come out after the risk of a blood clot reaching her heart had passed. When a kidney specialist examined her CT, he found the filter had broken. Lawsuits filed against IVC filter manufacturers contain many claims of filters breaking and causing patients pain, emergency surgery, and scars. Lawsuits have alleged that defects with the Gunther Tulip IVC filter make the devices likely to fracture, migrate and puncture internal organs.
Attorneys are alleging serious injuries in Gunther Tulip IVC filter lawsuits being filed on behalf of affected patients.
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.
If a patient dies from complications related to a defective IVC Filter, family members may be entitled to compensation for the wrongful death of their loved one.
Patients who have suffered severe complications from IVC filters, 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 an IVC filter lawyer to learn more about their rights and remedies.
For more information, contact Attorney Group. 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 or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.
