Medtronic Pacemaker Attorneys

The FDA announced Medtronic was issuing a safety warning on February 11, 2005, because of a potential battery shorting mechanism that could occur in some of its ICD devices. According to the notification letter sent to physicians, the company reported that nine batteries experienced rapid battery depletion due to the shorting action among the Medtronic defibrillators. The danger among shorting Medtronic defibrillators is that it could cause the battery to deplete within a few hours to a few days, resulting in a complete loss of device function.

Affected Medtronic defibrillators included devices manufactured between April 2001 and December 2003:

- Marquis VR/DR
- Maximo VR/DR ICD models
- InSync I/II/III Marquis and
- InSync III Protect CRT-D devices.

Defibrillators are special medical implants with significant lifesaving capabilities. This warning is so critical because when a defect is present, the results can be life-threatening. The FDA has been criticized for failing to require special oversight of the essential medical devices, allowing the majority to be placed on the market without requiring clinical testing as long as they were "substantially equivalent" to previously marketed devices.

About 75 percent of the defective Medtronic pacemakers were implanted in the United States. The Medtronic defibrillator warnings came as the industry was pushing to increase the number of implants after a study showed 80 percent of heart patients who could benefit from ICDs do not have one.

If you or a loved one suffered injuries from a Medtronic Pacemaker, please contact our service today by submitting a claim. We can put you in touch with experienced Medtronic Pacemaker attorneys who can help you get the compensation that you deserve for your injuries.