Portable Ventricular Assist Device Lawsuit

The VAD or Portable Ventricular Assist Device manufactured by Thoratec® Corporation has been recalled due to earlier than expected wear-out of the compressor motor.

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 Portable Ventricular Assist Device recall and/or experienced VAD malfunctions, failure or injury, you should contact us immediately. You may be entitled to compensation and we can help.

What is the Portable Ventricular 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.

From September 1, 2005 through June 4, 2007, Thoratec® distributed 378 VAD units to 378 hospitals (251 within the U.S and 127 outside the U.S.).

What is the problem?

VAD support for the patient’s circulatory system may fail. The VAD driver may stop due to earlier than expected wear-out of the compressor motor (much less than the expected 3000 hours). The compressor motor can stop without warning. When the motor fails, there is a loss of VAD support for the patient. This results in inadequate blood flow to and from the heart.

Additional Information:

• FDA Recall - Thoratec® TLC-ll® Portable Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Driver

Do I have a VAD 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 Portable Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) litigation nationwide and currently accepting new Thoratec VAD recall claims.