Medtronic defibrillator was defective, says law firm

Medical device manufacturer Medtronic is being sued regarding an alleged defect in the Sprint Fidelis heart defibrillator cardiac lead wire.

A client of law firm Woods and Woods claims that the defective wire resulted in unnecessary, painful shocks to her heart, which led to hospitalisation.

In Ocotber 2007, Medtronic withdrew its Sprint Fidelis heart defibrillator cardiac leads from the market, following reports of their dangers.

Meanwhile, on the same day the Food and Drug Administration also said that it was aware the wires were prone to fracture, which had caused complications and some deaths in patients.

William Woods, managing partner at Woods and Woods, commented: “Many people have been affected by these devices and may be in danger of experiencing life-threatening side effects.”

Medtronic claims to be “the global leader in medical technology”. Its headquarters is in Minneapolis and it does business in over 120 countries.