A woman has filed a products liability lawsuit against 3M Company and Resent Healthcare, Inc. alleging the companies’ Bair Hugger medical device caused the woman to suffer personal injury including Bair Hugger dangers.

Plaintiff Ramona T. brought forth her legal action on behalf of herself claiming that she had surgery on Dec. 17, 2014 where the Bair Hugger Forced Air Warming system was used during her total knee replacement surgery on her left knee.

“Contaminants introduced into Plaintiff’s open surgical wound as a direct and proximate use of the Bair Hugger during the subject surgery resulted in Plaintiff developing a periprosthetic joint infection (‘PJI’), also known as a deep joint infection (‘DJI’). The Pathogen identified was methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus at the time,” the plaintiff’s lawsuit states.

The lawsuit goes on to say, “As a result of Plaintiffs infection caused by the Bair Hugger, Plaintiff has undergone further medical treatment and surgery including, but not limited to, extensive antibiotics, debridement, and revision procedures…”

Ramona alleges that she sustained personal injury to herself as well as economic loss as an alleged result of the Bair Hugger dangers.

Ramona has brought forth several counts against the manufacturers of the Bair Hugger including negligence, strict liability for failure to warn and defective design and manufacture, breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty, violations of various Minnesota consumer protection and trade practices acts, negligent misrepresentation, fraudulent misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment and unjust enrichment.

As a result of her injuries from the alleged Bair Hugger dangers, Ramona is seeking compensatory damages, pre-and post-judgment interest, statutory damages, costs and expenses of litigation, attorneys’ fees and costs, equitable relief by disgorgement restitution and any additional relief deemed necessary, just and proper by the Court.

The Bair Hugger Dangers Lawsuit is filed within the Bair Hugger MDL In Re: Bair Hugger Forced Air Warming Products Liability Litigation., MDL No. 2666, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.

Alleged Bair Hugger Dangers

Plaintiffs who have filed lawsuits against the manufacturers of the medical device alleged that Bair Hugger dangers have come about due to the defective nature of the device. According to allegations in the lawsuits, the plaintiffs state that the forced air warming system introduces contaminants into surgical wounds due to the design of the product.

Bair Hugger warming blankets are used during major surgeries to keep patients warm during surgery. Having a warm, stable body temperature assists in better surgical outcomes.

The device itself works by having a blanket placed over or under the patient. The blanket is attached by a hose to the heater which warms the air and blows it onto the patient.

Plaintiffs state that do to the air circulation flow in hospital rooms, the hot air from the Bair Hugger escapes from underneath the blanket, mixing with cooler downward air currents in the surgery room, where it may potentially pick up contaminants from the floor of the operating room.

As the warmed air makes its way back up toward the ceiling, it may take contaminants with it and may potentially deposit these contaminants in the surgical openings of patients, according to Bair Hugger lawsuits. These contaminants can then lead to deep joint infections, plaintiffs claim.