A forced air warming blanket lawsuit has been filed against the makers of the product, 3M Company and Arizant Healthcare, Inc. over severe adverse side effects and complications suffered.

Plaintiff Shirley J. filed the forced air warming blanket lawsuit in Minnesota federal court joining a growing multidistrict litigation (MDL) against the company.

According to the forced air warming blanket lawsuit, Shirley says that she is a resident and citizen of the state of Ohio. She claims that on Dec. 9, 2009, she underwent surgery for a left total knee arthroplasty at Holzer Medical Center in Ohio. It was during the surgery that a Bair Hugger Forced Air Warming system was used on her.

However, the forced air warming blanket lawsuit states that because of its use and as a “direct and proximate result of the use of the Bair Hugger” resulted in her developing a periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), also known as a deep joint infection (DJI). The pathogen causing the infection was MRSA, the lawsuit states.

As a result of the infection, she states that she underwent several different treatments. These have included long-term IV antibiotics and multiple staged procedures on March 9, 2010, and June 10, 2010.

She filed the forced air warming blanket lawsuit claiming damages as a result of injuries to herself and economic loss.

The forced air 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, which includes the Deceptive Trade Practices Act, the Unlawful Trade Practices Act, and the False Advertising Act; negligent misrepresentation, fraudulent misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment, loss of consortium, among others.

Shirley requests a trial by jury.

Bair Hugger Forced Air Warming System

There have been several complications stemming from the use of the Bair Hugger Forced Air Warming system. The device is used during invasive surgeries to regulate a patient’s body temperature during procedures, like a total knee arthroplasty. To treat some of the side effects that result from the product’s use, the following have had to be administered:

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

There have been several lawsuits filed like Shirley’s alleging that the Bair Hugger Warming system has caused adverse side effects. Plaintiffs allege that the Bair Hugger causes patients to contract severe patient infections, like MRSA.

Accusations against the company include the makers knowing about the adverse side effects linked to the use of the device but failing to make this information known. If you or a loved one have suffered from adverse side effects from the use of a forced air warming blanket, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit and take legal action.

The Forced Air Warming Blanket Lawsuit is Case No. 0:18-cv-00854-JNE-FLN, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.