More than one dozen lawsuits have been filed against Bair in connection with the Bair Hugger warming blanket used during surgical procedures. Claims state that the device is defective. The warming blanket can come in contact with bacteria and contaminants on operating room floors, which can get into the procedure location causing infections and other serious illnesses.
Bair Hugger facts and warnings:
- FDA approval granted in 1988
- The device has been used on 180+ million patients
- Infections from the device cause difficulty in the natural immune system’s fighting abilities
- Infections can settle into joint implants
- 2 million Americans have joint implants, according to May Clinic
A majority of the lawsuits filed regarding the Bair Hugger device involve hip and knee replacement patients. In clinical trials, 3M Bair did not include knee or hip replacement surgeries. One study showed that 96-percent of the huggers dispersed excessive levels of contaminants. Given that orthopedic implant surgeries take an extended period of time, bacteria has a longer amount of time to spread and lead to infection while patients are on the operating table.
One lawsuit claims that an infection occurred in a patient that was so severe, it required amputation of a limb due to a deep joint infection with serious complications.
Pending lawsuits state that Bair (the manufacturer) has been fully aware of these risks for a substantial period of time. The manufacturer failed to issue risk warnings to members of the medical community. No changes to the design have been made or are planned at this time.
Given that at least 12 lawsuits have been filed against 3M for the Bair Hugger in federal courts, they have been transferred to a Multi-District Litigation in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.
If you or a loved one have suffered a serious infection, amputation or other significant event due to the 3M Bair Hugger, Harman Law LLC urges you to contact us today. Our experienced staff of defective medical device attorneys offers a free initial consultation at no cost or further obligation to your or your family. To schedule your consultation, and determine if you are eligible for compensation, call 1-888-55-HARMAN or (404) 554-0777 in the local Atlanta area.
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