Arizant HealthCare Inc. and 3M Company are facing a growing number of lawsuits alleging problems with the Bair Hugger forced air warming blanket.

One of the Bair Hugger lawsuits was recently filed by a man from Texas, alleging the forced air warming blanket had caused him to develop a deep joint infection.

Plaintiff Wesley S. opted to file this Bair Hugger lawsuit, after discovering this forced air warming blanket was linked to an increased risk of deep joint infection. Wesley alleges that the device makers failed to properly warn the medical community about the risks.

The Bair Hugger forced air warming blanket consisting of a disposable blanket that is connected to a portable heater with a hose, which is placed over the patient during surgeries. The Bair Hugger forced air warming blanket blows hot air onto the patient’s skin, which keeps body temperature regulated while under anesthesia.

The Bair Hugger forced air warming blanket was first introduced to the market in 1988, and has been used in hundreds of thousands of surgeries. The Bair Hugger forced air warming blanket has helped numerous patients recover from surgeries, but recent studies have linked the drug to deep joint infections.

This had allegedly happened to Wesley, who had underwent total right hip replacement surgery on June 22, 2016 in which the Bair Hugger forced air warming blanket was used during the procedure. Wesley reportedly developed a deep joint infection not long after the procedure and had to undergo several treatment procedures.

According to the Bair Hugger lawsuit, Wesley had to undergo hip revision surgery to get the infected components replaced and had to undergo a wound vac procedure on July 18, 2016.

Not long after these treatments, Wesley discovered the allegedly defective nature of the Bair Hugger forced air warming blanket and opted to file legal action.

Overview of Bair Hugger Forced Air Warming Blanket Complications

A recent study observing the correlation between Bair Hugger forced air warming blanket and deep joint infection was published in 2011 in the American Journal of Infection Control.

This study found that 58 percent of forced air warming blankets had produced airborne contaminants. The study also noted that only a small amount of exposure could increase the risk of deep joint infection.

Several studies have suggested that forced air warming blankets may produce airborne bacteria, because it disrupts the sterile environment of the surgical area. This is because the devices cause temperature changes, which produces convection currents and picks up air from unclean areas of the environment.

Even though deep joint infection can be devastating to patients, 3M Company and Arizant HealthCare Inc. allegedly failed to warn the patients. Wesley states he would not have wanted the Bair Hugger forced air warming blanket, if he had been aware of its alleged correlation with deep joint infection.

Wesley’s Bair Hugger lawsuit is joining MDL No. 2666, where it will stand alongside other claims alleging similar deep joint infection problems. By joining an MDL, Wesley’s claim will be streamlined through the litigation process and will avoid potential problems like conflicting rulings from different judges.

The Bair Hugger Forced Air Warming Blanket Lawsuit is Case No. 0:18-cv-01727-JNE-FLN, in the U.S. District Court of Minnesota.