An injured consumer recently filed a lawsuit alleging that Cook Celect IVC filter complications are common with the blood clot filter and can cause serious health problems.

Plaintiff Pless W. recently filed a lawsuit against Cook Inc., Cook Medical LLC, and William Cook Europe ApS, alleging that Cook Celect IVC Filter complications caused injuries.

Pless had the Celect IVC Filter implanted in February 2016. Shortly after implantation, he allegedly started to experience Cook Celect IVC filter complications which threatened his health.

The inferior vena cava (IVC) is a large blood vessel which carries blood from the lower extremities to the heart. The blood from the deep veins in the legs can be prone to clotting and these clots can travel up the IVC to the lungs.

Blockages from these clots are called pulmonary embolisms. If left untreated, pulmonary embolisms can be life-threatening.

IVC filters are often implanted into patients at a high risk for pulmonary embolisms. These devices are implanted in the blood vessel and have protrusions which break up clots before they reach the lungs.

Although these devices can save lives, Pless argues that Cook Celect IVC filter complications outweigh the benefits.

The Cook Celect IVC filter has four struts with which it is anchored to the blood vessel. The device also has eight secondary struts which improve device positioning and trap clots flowing through the blood vessel.

Pless claims that Cook Celect IVC filter complications come from a design defect which makes the device unable to withstand the normal pressure of blood flow through a vein.

The pressure allegedly causes the anchoring struts to perforate the blood vessel and cause other Cook Celect IVC filter complications.

The lawsuit references numerous studies detailing the severity and commonality of Cook Celect IVC filter complications.

One study had dramatic results, showing that “one hundred percent of the Cook Celect filters and Gunther Tulip filters imaged after 71 days of implant caused some degree of filter perforation of the venal caval wall.”

The same study examined tilting of the IVC filters, and showed that tilt occurred 40 percent of the time. Data showed that all tilted filters imaged showed some degree of vena cava perforation.

Pless claims that Cook knew or should have known about the risks associated with Cook Celect IVC filter complications and should have warned consumers.

Despite the large amount of scientific evidence allegedly available that shows that Cook IVC filters are prone to tilting and perforating the vena caval wall, Cook did not warn consumers that they may be at risk for Cook Celect IVC filter complications.

Pless accuses Cook of failure to warn, design defect, negligence, breach of warranties, and violation of Tennessee consumer protection laws.

The Cook Celect IVC filter complications lawsuit seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages, disgorgement, restitution, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

The Cook Celect IVC Filter Complications Lawsuit is Case No. 1:18-cv-02492-RLY-TAB and is part of the Cook IVC Filter MDL, In re: Cook Medical Inc. IVC Filters Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation, Case No. 1:14-ml-2570-RLY-TAB, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.