Raizner Slania filed a lawsuit on behalf of a North Carolina woman against 3M Company and Arizant Healthcare after the woman sustained a severe MRSA infection caused by the Bair Hugger device.
In April 2012, the plaintiff underwent a right knee arthroplasty in which the Bair Hugger warming blanket was used throughout the scope of the procedure. As a direct result of using the Bair Hugger, contaminants were introduced into the plaintiff’s surgical wound that caused her to develop a deep joint infection. The pathogens identified were Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, more commonly known as MRSA, and gram positive cocci.
MRSA is often referred to as superbug because it is resistant to the antibiotics usually administered to treat infections. Because of the difficulty in treating MRSA, the infection can also cause a variety of serious and life-threatening side effects, including sepsis, pneumonia, and bloodstream infections, among others. Gram positive cocci is a bacteria that is difficult to treat because it is resistant to some of the antibiotics used to treat infections. This type of bacteria can cause a variety of serious symptoms.
As a result of plaintiff’s infections caused by the Bair Hugger, she was forced to undergo extensive additional medical treatment, including knee aspirations, multiple extensive irrigation and debridements with hardware exchanges, and IV antibiotics. She was also placed on lifetime antibiotic suppression medication due to the continued presence of MRSA. After receiving these treatments in a hospital, the plaintiff moved to a skilled nursing facility for further care to treat her infections.
The plaintiff suffered not only extensive physical and emotional pain from the infections caused by the Bair Hugger, but also experienced a massive economic loss from the extensive hospital stays and necessary medical treatments.
The plaintiff believes the Bair Hugger device is defective in design and manufacture and that 3M and Arizant failed to warn her of the dangers associated with the device. In addition, she alleges the company committed consumer fraud and/or unfair and deceptive trade practices under North Carolina law.
Raizner Slania: Bair Hugger MRSA Infection Attorneys
If you underwent a hip or knee replacement surgery and developed an infection, contact the experienced defective medical device attorneys at Raizner Slania today. We can help you understand your legal options and pursue compensation on your behalf. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
