Medical Alert Issued Over Ethicon Bowel Surgery Staplers After Patients Injured
A medical alert has been issued over surgical staplers used in bowel surgery after patients suffered serious injuries during operations.
The UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued a medical advice alert after defects were found with Ethicon endo-surgical staplers.
The devices are used in bowel surgery to achieve anastomosis – where a surgical connection is made to close the bowel securely.
But there have been reports of the staplers misfiring, cutting a hole in the bowel but failing to close it, as the device fails to fire a staple.
As a result Ethicon has recalled 247 lots of staplers distributed in the UK and Ireland. Patients have suffered serious injuries as a result of the malfunction.
Incidents may result in the need for ileostomy and a stoma, leakage of the bowel, bleeding, severe pain, sepsis and/or risk of severe permanent injury and/or death.
The manufacturer Ethicon Endo-Surgery LLC (“Ethicon”) – a division of the giant American multi-national pharmaceutical corporation Johnson & Johnson – originally issued a field safety notice warning of the problem in March 2019, which was then updated in May 2019.
Patients affected by these devices could have product claims against the manufacturer on the basis the product was defective and the manufacturer is liable for injury loss and damage caused without the need to prove fault.
Strict time limits apply to civil claims for personal injury, so anyone affected is strongly advised to contact Hodge Jones & Allen for expert advice and assistance with a claim. We offer a free initial interview so we can assess a case and advise if there is a reasonable prospect of success and if we are able to help these are funded through a “no win no fee” agreement.
Peter Todd, Partner and specialist product liability solicitor at Hodge Jones & Allen, is representing claimants in this case. If you would like to speak with Peter or one of his team they can be contacted on 0330 822 3451 to discuss your case.