Bard Eclipse IVC Filter Complaint Brought Over Vena Cava Perforation

San Diego, CA, December 21, 2015 (Newswire.com) -  The IVC filter lawsuit was filed by Alec Caldwell in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi on December 9, and alleges that a blood clot filter manufactured by C.R. Bard “grossly tilted” to a nearly perpendicular position from where it was originally placed, preventing doctors from being able to safely remove the device. If you believe you have been harmed by side effects of an IVC filter, contact a knowledgeable product liability lawyer today for legal help.

Possible Side Effects of IVC Filters

According to Alec Caldwell’s complaint, in September 2010, he received a Bard Eclipse filter, a small cage-like device implanted in the inferior vena cava to trap blood clots that may break free from the deep veins in the lower limbs, preventing them from traveling to the lungs and causing a pulmonary embolism or other complications. Like other retrievable IVC filters, the Bard Eclipse filter is designed to be removed once the risk of pulmonary embolism has subsided, but these medical devices have been linked to reports of serious complications in recent years, where the filters migrate out of position and puncture the vena cava, or fracture and send fragments of the device to the heart or lungs.

IVC Filters Called “Defective,” “Unreasonably Dangerous”

“The Eclipse filter implanted in plaintiff subsequently ‘grossly tilted’ to the point where it was ‘almost horizontal’ [and] perforated the inferior vena cava,” Caldwell’s lawsuit states, “migrating such that the legs of the Eclipse filter now overlap the central end of the plaintiff’s venous stent; and the filter, which was intended to be retrievable, can no longer be removed, which will ultimately result in the arms and/or legs of the Eclipse filter fracturing and embolizing (if this has not already occurred).” The allegations raised in Caldwell’s complaint mirror those raised in similar lawsuits filed in courts across the country over side effects of IVC filters, alleging that the devices feature a defective and unreasonably dangerous design.

IVC Filter Side Effect Studies

According to a growing body of research, not only may IVC filters not be as effective as originally believed, but the devices may actually put patients at risk for serious and potentially life-threatening complications. “Years after the implantation of retrievable filters into the bodies of patients, scientists began to study the effectiveness of retrievable filters – studies that Bard itself had never done before placing the product on the market,” Caldwell’s lawsuit states. “As recently as October 2015, an expansive article published in the Annals of Surgery concerning trauma patients inserted with IVC filters concluded that IVC filters were not effective in preventing pulmonary emboli, and instead actually caused thrombi to occur.”

A Skilled IVC Filter Attorney Can Help

As IVC filter attorneys continue to investigate claims for patients and their families across the United States, it is expected that Bard and other makers of blood clot filters will face hundreds, if not thousands, of additional lawsuits. If you or a loved one has suffered serious injuries you believe to be related to IVC filter side effects, consult an experienced IVC filter attorney today to discuss your legal options. You may have grounds to file a product liability lawsuit against the device manufacturing company, in order to pursue financial compensation for your injuries, medical expenses, and pain and suffering.