A new lawsuit alleging vena cava filter complications has been added to the growing MDL against the manufacturer of the Gunther Tulip IVC. The plaintiffs who say they have suffered from vena cava filter complications believe that Cook Medical, the maker of the device, is responsible for the injuries they sustained after having the device implanted.

Plaintiff Patricia F. is one of the latest to allege vena cava filter complications. Patricia says she received the Gunther Tulip IVC filter to prevent clots, but later experienced unexpected pain and problems. The IVC filter lawsuit says that the plaintiff had the device implanted in June 2008 in Georgia.

The vena cava filter complications lawsuit against Cook was filed on multiple counts, including negligence, negligence per se, design defects, failure to warn, breach of express warranty, and breach of implied warranty.

Many of the patients who came forward with complaints regarding IVC filter complications say that the makers knew or should have known about the dangers and that, in failing to warn them, exposed them to serious risk of harm.

IVC Device Risks

Medical device lawsuits have increased in recent years, especially as more patients receive devices and suffer pain after the fact.

Lawsuits surrounding vena cava filter complications hinge around several different types of common side effects, including organ damage, chronic pain, and bleeding. Many of these vena cava filter lawsuits say that the makers of the devices were negligent in their design which are now failing at a very high rate inside patients.

Other complaints against the manufacturer claim that some patients have suffered from blood clots at the site in which the device was inserted. The device is intended to prevent blood clots.

Those patients who begin to experience unexpected side effects must report these issues directly to their physician in order to prevent further issues. Some of the most commonly reported IVC issues include persistent chest pain, migration of the filter to another part of the body, or punctured organs. Some patients have even suffered fatal injuries.

As more patients came forward to report their vena cava filter complications, further research was done to examine the depth of the problem. Some medical experts now say that the devices should be taken out as soon as it is safe for the patient.

The FDA has also issued a safety alert in relation to the use of IVC filters since so many who have had them implanted dealt with issues after the fact. The implantation of an IVC filter, if defective or left in too long, can lead to issues like the breakdown of the filter’s pieces, which can migrate elsewhere in the body or even puncture other organs.

When a patient does not know about potential IVC filter risks in advance, the pain and suffering from such a problem can be severe but might not lead the patient to get medical attention right away.

This new Vena Cava Filter Complications Lawsuit is Case No. 1:18-cv-02963-TWP-TAB, filed as part of MDL 2570, in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division.