Federal health officials say that defects in some Medtronic devices used in heart procedures are severe enough that they could cause serious injury or death.
Medtronic Inc. announces that the FDA has classified the company’s recently initiated voluntary field action related to certain guidewire. Based on an internal investigation following a limited number of complaints, including one patient injury, Medtronic began notifying hospitals and distributors worldwide the week of Oct. 21 that some models of its guidewires from recent lots have the potential for the coating on their surface to delaminate and detach. The notification requested that all potentially affected units be quarantined immediately and returned to the company as soon as possible for credit and replacement.
The guidewires covered by this recall are designed to facilitate percutaneous coronary interventions or the placement of left ventricular leads for cardiac rhythm devices. They include specific lots from the following eight product lines that were manufactured after mid-April 2013:
- Cougar nitinol workhorse guidewire
- Cougar steerable guidewire
- Zinger stainless steel workhorse guidewire
- Zinger steerable guidewire
- Thunder extra-support guidewire
- Thunder steerable guidewire
- ProVia crossing guidewire
- Attain Hybrid guide wire
Release Date: November 15, 2013
Source: FDA
