A Texas couple have filed a Bair Hugger lawsuit over claims that the surgical blanket caused an infection so severe it required four additional surgeries.

Plaintiffs Peter and Tanya C. of New York allege that Bair Hugger manufacturers 3M Company and Arizant Healthcare Inc. failed to warn about the significant and dangerous risks of using the medical device during a surgical procedure.

According to the 3M lawsuit, Peter underwent hip replacement surgery and a Bair Hugger forced air warmer blanket was used. The plaintiffs claim that as a direct result of using the surgical blanket, contaminants were introduced to Peter’s open surgical wound which caused an infection that left him permanently injured.

The Bair Hugger lawsuit alleges that Peter’s quality of life has been diminished as he continues to suffer from limited mobility and has to use crutches in order to walk.

The plaintiffs are suing 3M for negligence, claiming that the medical device caused Peter to not only suffer physically but also financially as his capability of earning wages has been reduced. The 3M Bair Hugger lawsuit is seeking $75,000 to help the plaintiffs recover from the costs of four surgeries, physician care, monitoring, treatment and medications.

What is a Bair Hugger?

Keeping patients warm during surgery has been proven to reduce bleeding and shorten recovery time. The Bair Hugger is a portable medical device that consists of a heater and blower connected by a flexible hose to a disposable blanket that is position over surgical patients in order to keep them warm during surgery.

However, plaintiffs Peter and Tanya argue that the Bair Hugger warming system design is defective. According to the Bair Hugger lawsuit, the hot air produced by the machine escapes from under the blanket and creates an air flow current that flows downward. “As this warmed air rises, it deposits bacteria from the floor of the surgical room into the surgical site,” the 3M lawsuit states.

The plaintiffs allege that Bair Hugger manufacturers were aware of the dangerous nature of the surgical blanket but instead of changing the design or warning physicians they instead chose to “double down on their efforts to promote their defective product.”

Other plaintiffs filing Bair Hugger lawsuits claim the device caused the following complications:

• Deep joint infections
• Joint implant removal
• Additional surgeries
• Amputations
• Need for intravenous antibiotic treatment
• Need for physical therapy

Bair Hugger Forced Air Warmer Blanket Lawsuits

There are more than 50,000 Bair Huggers currently in use throughout the U.S., according to the Bair Hugger lawsuit. There are a growing number of Bair Hugger lawsuits filed against 3M and Arizant that claim the manufacturers did not properly test the device before they deemed it safe to use during surgical procedures.

If you have suffered from hospital infections or other injuries due to use of a 3M Bair Hugger blanket, contact a Bair Hugger attorney to find out if you have a legal claim.

The 3M Bair Hugger Lawsuit is Case No. 2:15-cv-06776-JMA-GRB in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.