Hundreds of individuals from across the country are filing lawsuits against the manufacturers of the Bard PowerPort™, claiming that their devices caused serious health complications.
Read on to learn more about these implants, health problems that can occur when the devices break or migrate, and who is eligible to join the chemo port lawsuit.
What are chemo ports?
Chemo ports are small medical devices that doctors implant under the skin to help patients receive intravenous (IV) medications and fluids more safely and comfortably, and to make blood draws easier during ongoing treatment.
A typical catheter-port system, often called a “catha-a-port”, consists of a thin, flexible catheter connected to a self-sealing injection port. These devices are commonly used by chemotherapy patients or others who require frequent IV treatments, transfusions, or blood tests.
Several manufacturers produce chemo ports, including Bard Access Systems, Inc. (a subsidiary of Becton, Dickinson, and Company) and AngioDynamics, Inc., both of which have been named in lawsuits involving allegedly defective ports, such as the Bard PowerPort.
Unfortunately, some patients with malfunctioning devices have reported serious postoperative complications.
Chemo ports and health issues
When a chemo port is defective, it can pose serious risks to a patient’s health and safety. In some cases, central venous chemo ports have been reported to fracture or migrate from their original placement. A damaged or malfunctioning port may leak, break, or allow bacteria to enter the bloodstream, leading to infection or other serious complications.
Over time, a defective chemo port may cause a range of health issues, including:
- Heart arrhythmia
- Fever or signs of infection
- Sepsis
- Thromboembolism (blood clots)
- Inflammation
- Perforation of tissue, organs, or blood vessels
- Necrosis (tissue death) at the port site
- Cardiac or pericardial tamponade
Research also supports the link between defective central venous chemo ports and serious patient complications. In one 2017 study, approximately 6% of participants required removal of their implanted ports after surgery due to infections or leaking catheters. These findings highlight the potential risks patients face when device failures occur, especially for those already undergoing demanding treatment such as chemotherapy.
What is the Bard PowerPort™ chemo port lawsuit?
According to the ongoing Bard PowerPort chemo port lawsuits, defective devices have been linked to serious injuries, and in some cases, patient deaths. Many of these injuries involve the catheter portion of the device fracturing or migrating within the body, which can lead to severe medical complications like infection, blood clots, or organ damage.
Dozens of patients have joined the chemo port lawsuit, which alleges that manufacturers knew or should have known about the potential health risks associated with these devices but failed to adequately warn doctors and patients.
Plaintiffs have named Bard Access Systems, Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), and AngioDynamics Inc. in chemo port lawsuits, and courts are handling these cases as multidistrict litigation.
However, lawyers handling the Bard PowerPort chemo port lawsuit are looking to speak with users of any brand and style of chemo port if the device fracturing or migrating caused serious health issues.
Chemo port lawsuit settlements
Individuals may wonder how large settlements will be from the manufacturers if they join the chemo port lawsuit. Because this lawsuit is still in the early stages, this is unclear. In defective medical product lawsuits, lawyers may seek settlements for clients that consider:
- The client or family’s pain and suffering
- Reduced future income
- Past and present lost wages
- Costs of medication, therapy, treatment, etc.
Joining the chemo port lawsuit
You may qualify for the chemo port lawsuit if you or a loved one:
- Had a chemo port implanted for medication or fluid administration
- Experienced complications such as catheter fracture, migration, infection, or other serious health issues
- Required additional medical treatment, surgery, or hospitalization as a result of the port’s failure
- Are within your state’s statute of limitations for filing a claim
If a defective chemo port caused severe complications, infection, or other life-threatening injuries, you may be eligible to take legal action.
Chemo Port Lawsuit
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Do not stop using any chemo port without first talking to your doctor. Any trademark is used here only for the purpose of identifying the product in question. Woods & Woods, LLC is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or associated with Bard Access Systems, Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company, AngioDynamics Inc., Kitasato University, or the Cleveland Clinic.
