Günther Tulip® IVC Filter Recall

Raizner Law is offering free consultations to patients who were subjected to the complications caused by defects in Cook’s Günther Tulip® IVC Filter. Patients who have suffered IVC filter complications due to defects may be entitled to compensation from a lawsuit filed against Cook.

What is the Günther Tulip® IVC Filter?

The Günther Tulip® Inferior Vena Cava Filter (IVC Filter) by Cook was approved by the FDA in 2003 for use in catching blood clots and preventing them from traveling to the heart or lungs while still allowing blood to flow through the vein. However, between 2005 and 2010, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received 921 reports of adverse events involving IVC Filters.

IVC Filters like the Günther Tulip® have a risk of migrating, fracturing, embolizing, and/or perforating. These complications can be life-threatening for patients and make the removal of the filter difficult and sometimes impossible.

IVC Filter Migration

Design flaws in the Günther Tulip® IVC Filter have increased the device’s risk of migration throughout the body. The legs of the Günther Tulip® IVC Filter have hooks on the end originally designed to hold the device in place that can get lodged in other parts of the body when migrating.

Filter Fracture

Studies have shown that the longer the Günther Tulip® IVC Filter stays inside patients, the greater the risk of fracture. The device experiences metal fatigue that causes small pieces to break off and travel through the body. This can cause a variety of symptoms including chest pain, internal bleeding, hypotension, and cardiac tamponade.

Filter Embolization

If broken pieces of the Günther Tulip® IVC Filter travel into the heart, they can become impossible to remove, which can cause long-term complications for the patient including perforation of the heart muscle, abnormal heart rhythm, internal bleeding, heart attack, and even death.

IVC Filter Perforation

Although the Günther Tulip® IVC Filter is designed to hook into place and be easily removed, the device sometimes perforates the walls of the inferior vena cava. This makes the device removal challenging, and sometimes impossible.

A study published in Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology in 2012 showed that 86% of patients who received the Günther Tulip® IVC Filter has at least one component of the filter completely perforate the inferior vena cava wall.

Günther Tulip® IVC Filter Injury Lawsuits

Patients across the country are accusing Cook of failing to adequately warn doctors and patients of the risks of their Günther Tulip® IVC Filter. The federal lawsuits from these complaints have been consolidated in the Southern District of Indiana. If you suffered IVC filter complications from the implantation of any Cook IVC Filter (including the Günther Tulip®), the experienced defective device attorneys at Raizner Slania can help. Contact us today for a free consultation to review your case.