A consumer recently filed a lawsuit against numerous manufacturers alleging that her Gunther Tulip blood clot filter was defective and caused adverse health effects.

Plaintiff Lillian B. recently filed a lawsuit against Cook Inc., Cook Medical LLC, and William Cook Europe ApS, alleging that her Gunther Tulip blood clot filter was defective. Lillian had the Gunther Tulip blood clot filter implanted in January 2013.

Devices such as the Gunther Tulip blood clot filter are designed to be placed in the inferior vena cava (IVC) to catch clots which may flow through the blood vessel. The IVC transports blood from the lower extremities to the heart. The deep veins in the legs can be prone to clotting in certain individuals and these clots can move through the IVC into the lungs where they become pulmonary emboli.

Pulmonary emboli block the arteries in the lungs, potentially threatening the patient’s life. Individuals with pulmonary emboli often experience shortness of breath, chest pain, and a cough which may product bloody mucus. If the condition is not treated, it can be fatal.

In order to prevent potentially deadly clots, at-risk individuals may be implanted with an IVC filter to break up clots before they reach the lungs. Numerous factors may lead to a doctor implanting an IVC filter including heart disease, cancer, smoking, obesity, and more.

The Gunther Tulip blood clot filter in anchored in the blood vessel with four anchoring struts. On each strut, smaller wire branches form a “flower” formation that catch clots and break them up. However, Lillian claims that the Gunther Tulip blood clot filter is defectively designed and prone to shifting and migrating.

According to the lawsuit, the Gunther Tulip blood clot filter and other Cook IVC filters were designed without considering the force of blood flow through the blood vessel. This can result in the filter tilting in the vessel and perforating the vena cava walls.

Studies have reportedly shown that the Gunther Tulip blood clot filter and other Cook filters are prone to tilting. One studies published in April 2012 found 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”.

Perforation and tilting are only the beginning of potential issues. Should a Gunther Tulip blood clot filter become unsecure, it can migrate through the IVC into other parts of the body. This can cause perforation of organs, blood vessels, and any other number of health problems.

Lillian accuses the defendants of failure to warn, design defect, negligence, breach of warranties, and violation of Louisiana consumer protection laws. The Gunther Tulip blood clot filter lawsuit seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages, restitution, disgorgement, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

The Gunther Tulip Blood Clot Filter Lawsuit is Case No. 1:18-cv-02589-SEB-DML 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 United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.