3M Company and Arizant Healthcare Inc. face a woman’s warming blanket lawsuit alleging complications and serious injuries resulting from the use of the device during her surgery.

Plaintiff Hilda S. files the warming blanket lawsuit in Minnesota federal court. The lawsuit was filed on March 5, 2018.

According to the warming blanket lawsuit, Hilda, a resident and citizen of the state of Florida, says that she underwent surgery during which the Bair Hugger Forced Air Warming system was used on April 16, 2014.

The device was used during her left total knee arthroplasty procedure, and the surgery was performed at Broward Health located in Deerfield Beach, Fla., the lawsuit states.

However, according to the warming blanket lawsuit, as a “direct and proximate result” of using the Bair Hugger Hilda developed a periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), also known as a deep joint infection (DJI). The alleged pathogen was identified to be methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureas.

Hilda files the lawsuit claiming damages for her injuries and economic loss.

The warming blanket lawsuit was filed on multiple counts including negligence; strict liability, including failure to warn and defective design and manufacture; breach of express warranty; breach of implied warranty; Violation of the Minnesota Prevention of Consumer Fraud Act; Violation of the Minnesota Deceptive Trade Practices Act; Violation of the Minnesota Unlawful Trade Practices Act; Violation of the Minnesota of False Advertising Act; among others.

Hilda demands a trial by jury.

Overview: Warming Blanket Lawsuit

The Bair Hugger was introduced to the market in 1988. It is used on patients during invasive surgeries to regulate their body temperatures.And although the goal for using the device has always been to help keep patients warm, thus reducing recovery time and bleeding time, there have been serious and dangerous side effects linked to the device.

Researchers believe the Bair Hugger may blow air from the floor of the operating room up to the surgical site, causing bacteria to spread and increasing the patient’s risk for contracting a bacterial infection.

In fact, according to a study published in the American Journal of Infection Control, contaminants were found in 58 percent of forced-air warmers. The study also discovered that high levels of contamination were not necessary to increase the patient’s risk of infection.

There have been several complications reported in conjunction with the use of the Bair Hugger Forced Air Warming system. Because of these complications, additional treatments have had to be administered to lessen the side effects. Some of these treatments include:

• Additional surgeries
• Hospitalization
• Physical Therapy
• Amputation
• Intravenous antibiotic treatment
• Placement of an antibiotic spacer in the infected joint
• Joint implant removal and revision

Filing a Bair Hugger Lawsuit

There have been several lawsuits filed against 3M subsidiaries alleging that the Bair Hugger devices cause surgery patients to contract infections. Allegations against 3M include them of having known the risks and dangers associated with the device since 2009 but of failing to make this information known. You may have a legal claim if you or a loved one have suffered from complications after the Bair Hugger device was used during a surgical procedure.

The Bair Hugger Warming Blanket Lawsuit is Case No. 0:18-cv-00625-JNE-FLN, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.