Replacing defective Medtronic Sprint Fidelis leads is a very difficult medical procedure. The New York Times published a lengthy article about the risks patients implanted with the Medtronic Sprint Fidelis lead may face when replacing the leads. The leads run from the defibrillator into a chamber of the heart and reads the heart rhythms to measure if therapy is required from the defibrillator.
The leads were subject to a recall in 2007 because they are prone to fracture, causing defibrillators to provide inappropriate therapy or no therapy at all when needed the most. Replacing the leads requires an experienced surgeon since the leads can become overgrown with tissue and intertwined with veins in the heart. The NYT reported that about 150,000 patients have the Sprint Fidelis lead implanted in them and that thousands of patients will need replacement surgeries in the coming years. Medtronic has reported that 4 patients have died during replacement surgeries.We represent hundreds of patients who have been implanted with the faulty Medtronic Sprint Fidelis leads. If you or a family member would like to know more about your legal rights because of the Medtronic Sprint Fidelis leads, find out more here.
Richard J. Arsenault, 2011
