A Florida woman has filed a new Bair Hugger deep joint infection lawsuit against 3M, alleging that she contracted an infection after her knee surgery.

Plaintiff Karen M. underwent a total right knee arthroplasty at Manatee Memorial Hospital in Florida in April 2014. She alleges that following her surgery, she developed a Bair Hugger deep joint infection. In her case, this is also known as a periprosthetic joint infection (“PJI”).

Karen claims in her Bair Hugger deep joint infection lawsuit that as a result of her PJI infection, she was forced to undergo additional “two-stage removal surgery.”

In her Bair Hugger deep joint infection lawsuit, she claims to have suffered injuries to herself and economic losses and is holding 3M, the makers of her the Bair Hugger device used during her initial surgery, responsible.

Karen is bringing forth claims of negligence, failure to warn, defective design and manufacture, breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty, violation of Minnesota Prevention of Consumer Fraud Act, violation of Minnesota Unlawful Trade Practices Act, violation of Minnesota False Advertising Act, negligent misrepresentation, fraudulent misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment, loss of consortium, unjust enrichment and others.

What is a Bair Hugger Warming Blanket?

A Bair Hugger warming blanket is a one-use medical device that is used to keep patients warm before, during and after surgery. It uses hot air that is filtered first, then forced into disposable blankets that cover patients to keep them warm.

A Bair Hugger warming blanket helps stabilize the core temperature of patients at different important stages of surgery, including post-surgery. This can aid in patient recovery. These devices have been used on more than 200 million patients in the last 30 years and there are more than 50,000 units currently installed in American hospitals.

The way this device works is that hot air is forced through a “blanket” that covers patients during orthopedic surgeries. It uses pressure points on a person’s body to keep the heat from getting to places where sores and burns are prone to occur. Drainage holes in the Bair Hugger warming blanket help fluids to drain through to the linen underneath.

Many patients, like Karen, have filed Bair Hugger Deep Joint Infection lawsuits against 3M because they claim the device was the reason behind their periprosthetic joint infection.

What is a Bair Hugger Deep Joint Infection?

Certain studies have reported that the use of Bair Hugger warming blankets has increased the risk of deep joint infection in patients. This can occur in patients who have joint replacement surgery but the risk seems higher with those who have used the Bair Hugger warming blankets.

Some patients have even contracted the deadly MRSA infection, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. MRSA, when contracted, can become deadly affecting the heart, the lungs, the heart and the bones. It is antibiotic resistant and difficult to treat.

Patients who have contracted MRSA or another type of Bair Hugger deep joint infection may find it necessary to file a Bair Hugger deep joint infection lawsuit.

Karen’s Bair Hugger Deep Joint Lawsuit is Case No. 0:18-cv-00671-JNE-FLN in the United States District Court of the District of Minnesota.