St. Jude Riata Recall Lawyers Reviewing Lawsuits for Defibrillator Lead Failures
Before the St. Jude Riata defibrillator leads were removed from the market in 2010, more than 227,000 of the small wires were implanted in patients worldwide and more than 79,000 remain active in people in the United States. The St. Jude Riata lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are reviewing potential product liability lawsuits for individuals who have had their lead fail, or experienced unnecessary shocks due to problems with the lead.
CONTACT OUR LAWYERS ABOUT A ST. JUDE RIATA RECALL LAWSUIT
While St. Jude Medical stopped selling the Riata leads in December 2010, amid reports of problems where the small wires were poking through the insulation and causing the ICD to fail, the manufacturer failed to officially issue a recall for more than a year.
In December 2011, the FDA has issued a Class I St. Jude Riata recall for the following models of the defibrillator lead:
- St. Jude Riata Leads 1560, 1561, 1562, 1570, 1571, 1572, 1580, 1581, 1582, 1590, 1591 and 1592
- St. Jude Riata ST Leads 7000, 7001, 7002, 7010, 7011, 7040, 7041 and 7042
These small wires are used to connect an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) to the heart and monitor the heartbeat and correct any irregular heart rhythms. However, any defibrillator lead failure that compromises the ability of the lead to conduct electrical signals can result in failure of the device. This could cause the ICD to deliver painful electrical shocks when they are not needed, or may cause the defibrillator to fail when it is needed.
Once the small wires are inserted through the major veins to connect the ICD to the heart, it is common for scar tissue to form around the lead. This makes it very complex and risky to attempt to remove the lead. If the St. Jude Riata lead fails, individuals could face a substantial risk of serious injury or death during surgery to replace the defective lead.
LAWSUITS FOR ST. JUDE RIATA LEAD FAILURES
The product liability lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are reviewing potential St. Jude Riata recall lawsuits for individuals who received one of these defective leads and subsequently suffered any of the following failures:
- Unnecessary Shocks or Electrical Charges
- Injury Caused by ICD Failure to Properly Function When Needed
- Externalization of the Conductors (where the wire is confirmed to have penetrated the insulation)
- Confirmed Sensing Failure
- Surgery to Remove for Replace a St. Jude Riata Lead
Potential claims are reviewed for individuals throughout the United States who know or suspect that they may have a recalled lead. Free consultations and claim evaluations are provided for individuals who suspect that an injury may have been caused by a St. Jude Riata defibrillator lead failure.
If you suspect that you, friend or family member may have a case, request a free consultation and claim evaluation.
1 Comment • Add Your Comments
Jeffrey says:
I had one of these leads that in December 2012 when my device needs to be replaced failed when restarted after surgery because of the lead that caused the new device to short causing a burn mark on the new device. Thank god for external paddles. St. Jude’s needs to be held liable.
Posted on August 2, 2013 at 1:34 pm