Dangerous Blood Clot Filter May Put Patients at Risk

Why the Recovery filter is getting negative press for fatal and serious injuries

In a time when defective medical devices and medications are unfortunately all too common, now questions are being raised about the Recovery filter, which allegedly has put thousands of Americans at risk for deadly blood clots. Perhaps what’s most alarming about this story is not that the device has flaws- but that there is evidence indicating the manufacturer, C.R. Bard, Inc. may have known about it and sold the devices in spite of the potential risks.

The device works by inserting into a patients largest vein, the inferior vena cava, to prevent blood clots from reaching the lungs or heart — a pulmonary embolism. To date, at least 27 patients have died after having the Recovery filter implanted. According to an investigation by NBC News, there are hundreds of other patients who have suffered non-fatal issues, too.

One patient, Dodi Froehlich, had the filter implanted after a serious car accident that put her at a high risk for blood clots. Dodi considers herself lucky to have escaped death after being a victim of this supposedly-helpful filter. Just a few months after it was implanted, she passed out after getting a serious headache. What doctors discovered was that part of the filter broke off and penetrated her heart, initiating immediate and risky open-heart surgery. Even though Dodi’s life was saved by the surgeons who were able to remove the piece of the filter, other patients have suffered a deadly fate.

Shortly after patients began reporting issues with the filter, C.R. Bard hired a public relations firm. The PR firm created a crisis management plan to minimize the defective device’s impact on the manufacturer’s reputation and stock prices. Bard also hired a private physician to conduct an in-house study, the results of which showed that this particular filter came with a higher risk of fracture, movement, and death when compared to IVC filters manufactured by Bard's competitors.

Rather than recalling the device at this point, the company continued to sell this version of the filter for three more years before replacing it with a modified device known as the G2. This development is concerning, given that nearly a quarter of a million blood clot filters are implanted in patients every year from 11 different companies, but Bard’s first version showed signs of problems early on.

If you or a loved one have been injured by a defective medical device like the Recovery filter, contact leading Boca Raton defective medical device attorneys at Osborne & Associates Law Firm, P.A. to learn about your legal options. Our office is conveniently located in Boca Raton and we serve clients in Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Broward County and throughout South Florida. Call (561) 293-2600 or contact us online.

Click the links to see the full story by NBC News.

Part 1 - Did Blood-Clot Filter Used on Thousands of Americans Have Fatal Flaw?

‍Part 2 - Did Forged Signature Clear Way for Dangerous Blood-Clot Filter?

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