A Washington man has sued Arizant HealthCare Inc. and 3M Company, alleging he suffered a Bair Hugger infection after undergoing orthopedic surgery.

Plaintiff Jefferey M. alleges he developed a Bair Hugger joint infection soon after he underwent joint replacement surgery. He alleges this infection was caused by the defendants’ forced air warming device. Like millions of other patients, the Bair Hugger warming system was used in Jeffery’s surgery to insure stable body temperature while under anesthesia.

The Bair Hugger has been on the market since 1988, and was designed to encourage fast recovery after surgery. The manufacturers marketed the Bair Hugger as a safe and effective tool to help patients maintain a healthy body temperature while under anesthesia, prompting doctors to use the device in surgeries.

The Bair Hugger consists of a disposable blanket that is connected to a portable heater, which blows hot air onto the patient’s skin. With these benefits in mind, the device was used during Jeffery’s surgery that was conducted on April 17, 2015.

However, Jeffrey says that not long after the surgery was conducted, he allegedly developed a Bair Hugger joint infection. According to the Bair Hugger lawsuit, air currents from the device blew contaminants from elsewhere within the operating room into Jeffery’s surgical wound.

This ultimately caused Bair Hugger joint infection, he claims, which caused him to experience a number of other adverse effects including serious tissue damage and needing to undergo revision surgery on Nov. 17, 2016.

Overview of Bair Hugger Joint Infection

Recent studies have found that the Bair Hugger’s forced air warming system may stir contaminants in the surrounding environment, which presents serious risks to patients.

One of these studies was published in the American Journal of Infection Control, which found that 58 percent of forced air warming blankets, including the Bair Hugger, made bacteria airborne. While this 2011 study determined that there could be a correlation, researchers could not definitely conclude a causation relationship.

Furthermore, at least one study had found that forced air warming blankets could collect air from non-sterile areas. Researchers hypothesized that the forced air warming blanket creates convection currents, which can collect air from these dangerous areas.

The risk of Bair Hugger joint infection is highest in patients undergoing knee, hip, or other joint surgeries, with patients possibly requiring additional procedures including:

• Hospitalization
• Revision Surgeries
• Physical Therapy
• Placement of Antibiotic Spacer in Infected Joint
• Intravenous Antibiotic Treatment
• Amputation

Even though a Bair Hugger joint infection can severely worsen the patient’s condition, Jeffrey claims Arizant and 3M Company allegedly failed to warn the public. Jeffery states he would not have agreed to having the forced air warming device used for his surgery if he had known the risk of Bair Hugger joint infection.

This Bair Hugger lawsuit is joining MDL No. 2666, consisting of other claims also alleging Bair Hugger joint infection. By joining an MDL, Jeffery’s claim will be streamlined through the litigation process and will avoid potential problems like conflicting rulings from different judges.

This Bair Hugger Lawsuit is Case No. 0:18-cv-01016-JNE-FLN, in the U.S. District Court of Minnesota.