Paracorporeal Ventricular Assist System Lawsuit

The PVAD or Paracorporeal Ventricular Assist System manufactured by Thoratec® Corporation has been recalled due to the possibility of certain models being shipped with an incorrectly sized cannula.

Class 1 recalls are the most serious type of recall and involve situations in which there is a reasonable probability that use of the product will cause serious injury or death.

If you or a loved one have been affected by the Paracorporeal Ventricular Assist System recall and/or experienced PVAD malfunctions, failure or injury, you should contact us immediately. You may be entitled to compensation and we can help.

What is the Paracorporeal Ventricular Assist System?

The PVAD is a part of the Vascular Assist Device. A ventricular assist device is a mechanical pump that helps a person’s heart that is too weak to pump blood through the body. The VAD is designed to provide sufficient blood flow to the damaged or diseased heart. It is sometimes referred to as a “bridge to transplant” since it can help a patient survive until a heart transplant can be performed. The device is also used for patients who are recovering from heart surgery and must continue on a heart-lung machine.

From January 2, 2004 through February 23, 2007, 2484 units were distributed to 146 customers (distributors, hospitals and medical centers), 123 customers within the U.S. and to 23 customers outside the U.S. PVADs with serial numbers 10745 or less were shipped after January, 2004.

What is the problem?

The PVAD may contain a black collet (circular rim) that holds a rod-like piece in place (nut). This black collet and nut was intended to be used with a cannula (a small tube) of an older design that had a larger diameter. If this black collet and nut is used with the current design of cannula that has a smaller diameter, it can disconnect during use. The blood is pumped from the VAD through the cannula into the patient. (The black collet is similar to how a washer works with a nut. It is called a black collet because the collet and matching nut are painted black for easy identification).

Additional Information:

• FDA Recall – Thoratec® Paracorporeal Ventricular Assist System (PVAD)

Do I have a PVAD Recall Lawsuit?

The Medical Device and Product Liability Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus exclusively on the representation of plaintiffs in medical device recall lawsuits. We are currently investigating the possibility of handling individual Paracorporeal Ventricular Assist System (PVAD) litigation nationwide and currently accepting new Thoratec PVAD recall claims.

If you or a loved one have been affected by the Paracorporeal Ventricular Assist System recall and/or experienced PVAD malfunctions, failure or injury, you should contact us immediately. You may be entitled to compensation and we can help.