A Sorin 3T heater-cooler infection lawsuit may be an option for people who were exposed to nontuberculous mycobacterium after having a surgical procedure with the heater-cooler system. Sorin 3T heater-cooler devices are commonly used in cardiothoracic surgeries, including open-heart surgery. The devices, however, have been linked to dangerous and potentially life-threatening infections. Affected patients and their loved ones may be eligible to file a lawsuit and seek compensation with the help of a defective medical device attorney.
For more information, contact Attorney Group today. We offer free, confidential, no obligation consultations. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a case we can connect you with an affiliated Sorin 3T heater-cooler infection lawsuit attorney who can assist you throughout the legal process.
What is the Sorin 3T Heater-Cooler System?
Patients who undergo major surgical procedures, such as open-heart surgery, may require additional treatment while under anesthesia. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), heater-cooler devices are often used during major surgical procedures, including cardiothoracic surgeries, open-heart surgery and other medical procedures, to warm or cool a patient to produce effective medical care and improve patient outcomes.
Heater-cooler devices contain water tanks that provide temperature-controlled water to external heat exchangers or warming/cooling blankets through closed circuits. The Sorin 3T Heater-Cooler System, a heater-cooler device manufactured by the Sorin Group (a medical products group originally based in Italy and now known as LivaNova), is a heater-cooler device used in cardiac and cardiothoracic surgical procedures.
Sorin 3T Heater-Cooler Infection Risk
In October 2016, the FDA issued an updated safety communication providing new information regarding the risk of Mycobacterium chimaera (M. chimaera) infections related to the use of Sorin 3T heater-cooler devices U.S. patients who have undergone cardiothoracic surgeries. M. chimaera is a type of nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM), a naturally-occurring organism found in water and soil.
According to the FDA, symptoms associated with M. chimaera infections include:
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Pain, including muscle pain, joint pain and/or abdominal pain
- Redness, heat or pus at the surgical site
- Night sweats
- Weight loss
- Nausea
- Vomitin
Although the FDA believes M. chimaera infections are rare, they can be difficult to detect because those who have become infected may not develop symptoms or signs of an infection for months to years after initial exposure.
Sorin 3T Heater-Cooler Infection Lawsuit Claims
A Sorin 3T heater-cooler infection lawsuit has been filed alleging that patients were exposed to NTM after having cardiac bypass surgery that used the devices to warm and cool the patients. According to a report published in October 2016, the Sorin Group attempted to move to dismiss the case, however, the judge found that the plaintiffs met the minimum standard of plausibility and declined Sorin’s argument to dismiss a claim that the devices were defective.
Additionally, a number of lawsuits have been filed since the FDA issued its safety communication and it was discovered that the use of contaminated Sorin 3T Heater-Cooler Systems were associated with severe NTM infections, specifically M. chimaera infections.
How a Sorin 3T Heater-Cooler Infection Lawsuit Can Help
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 in lawsuits for injuries that may result.
People injured by a defective Sorin 3T heater-cooler system may be eligible to recover money for:
- Medical Expenses
- Lost Wages
- Pain and Suffering
The families of those killed may be eligible to recover money for funeral expenses and the pain that comes with losing a loved one.
For more information, contact Attorney Group. You can fill out the form on this page or contact us by phone or email.
After you contact us, an attorney will follow up to 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.
