An Alaska resident recently filed a lawsuit against 3M Company, alleging that the Bair Hugger warming blanket used during her surgery caused an infection.

The plaintiff, Beverly G., says she underwent right total knee arthroplasty surgery in October 2014. While the surgery itself went well, she says she soon developed a deep joint infection (DJI) with the pathogen staphylococcus aureus. Beverly alleges that she has suffered from both physical injury and suffering as well as medical expenses and lost wages.

In response, Beverly filed a lawsuit against 3M Company, the manufacturer of the Bair Hugger warming blanket used during her surgery. According to her lawsuit, the Bair Hugger warming blanket introduced contaminants into her open surgical wound, leading to her infection.

Beverly filed her Bair Hugger warming blanket lawsuit on June 27, 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. The lawsuit was filed on multiple counts, including negligence, failure to warn, defective design and manufacture, breach of express and implied warranties, and several others.

The Bair Hugger Blanket System

The Bair Hugger lawsuit and others like it allege that 3M Company was actually aware for years that the Bair Hugger warming blanket system was linked with serious risks, but chose to conceal these risks from the public and the medical community. The company has allegedly been aware of these major Bair Hugger side effects since at least 2009, lawsuits claim. However, the company continued to aggressively market the product as safe and effective for use during surgeries.

Lawsuits allege that the Bair Hugger blanket’s air filtration system fails to meet the High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) standards, though 3M Company claims otherwise.

Plaintiffs allege that the Bair Hugger warming blanket system actually exposes patients to contaminants in the room by blowing hot air on exposed surgical sites. The air currents allegedly sweep up bacteria from the floor, blowing them into the surgical site. This action reportedly leads to severe infections, such as deep joint infections, which can cause permanent damage, necessitate further operations, and cause serious physical and financial harm.

Filing a Bair Hugger Warming Blanket Side Effects Lawsuit

More and more patients are coming forward with claims that the Bair Hugger warming blanket caused serious and sometimes permanent infection and injury during surgeries.

If you or someone you love has suffered from infection or injury after undergoing a surgery in which a Bair Hugger blanket was used, you may have cause to file a Bair Hugger side effects lawsuit. A lawsuit can provide compensation for damages, cost of litigation, and more.

The Bair Hugger Warming Blanket Lawsuit is Case No. 0:18-cv-01761-JNE-FLN, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.