Bard PowerPort Lawsuits Allege Serious Injuries & Deaths

A device meant to help patients more easily receive medical treatment including chemotherapy and frequent imaging tests is under fire for possibly causing serious injuries to hundreds of people. 

A legal investigation has been launched into Bard PowerPorts, an implantable catheter device, as lawsuits mount against the manufacturer. So far, more than 230 lawsuits have been filed by patients who say the devices can cause serious complications, including death. 

What Patients Need to Know About Implantable Catheters

A Bard PowerPort is a brand of implantable port device used to access a person’s vascular system for medical treatment, including to deliver fluids, medications, and other products. 

Typically placed in a person’s chest or arm, they are often used for patients undergoing chemotherapy and frequent imaging tests, as it can reduce discomfort from needle sticks, lower the risk of vein damage, and streamline the treatment process. 

Lawsuits Reveal Hidden Risks of Bard PowerPort Complications

Hundreds of people who have used the devices have filed lawsuits against the device maker, Bard Access Systems Inc., a subsidiary of Becton, Dickinson and Company, accusing it of making a faulty device that can leak or break and cause serious injuries to users. 

The core concern with Bard PowerPort catheters lies in the materials and construction methods used. Allegations suggest the manufacturer was aware of the risks, such as potential fractures and migrations, but failed to provide adequate warnings. Some of the issues include:

• Fractures: The catheter can break inside the body, leaving pieces where they shouldn't be.
• Migration: The device may move from its original placement.
• Infections: Unwanted bacteria at the port site leading to illness.
• Embolisms: Broken PowerPort pieces can lead to blockages in blood vessels.
• Leakage at Port Site: Medication or bodily fluids not staying where they're supposed to. If medication doesn’t go where it’s needed, it could cause life-threatening complications.

Patients Share Stories of Pain and Suffering Caused by Bard PowerPort

According to lawsuits filed since 2023, the ports have caused numerous illnesses, including a chemotherapy patient who suffered from a fractured catheter, leading to deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and emergency surgery. 

Another patient experienced a bloodstream infection and embolism, necessitating multiple corrective procedures, and another involved a catheter fracture and migration that required emergency surgery to remove fragments from a patient's heart.

Here's a list of common complications that have been reported, some of which appeared more than 90 days post-implantation: 

• Fragments lodged in arteries or organs
• Catheter pieces journeying through the heart
• Vein or organ perforation
• Cardiac/pericardial tamponade
• Cardiac puncture
• Dislodgement or disconnection of the catheter
• Hematoma
• Hemorrhage
• Laceration of blood vessels
• Necrosis surrounding the port
• Persistent pain at the port or catheter site
• Late-emerging issues such as arrhythmia, blood clots, infections, and thromboembolic events

Hundreds Sue Bard Over Alleged PowerPort Defects

In 2020, the Food and Drug Administration recalled three models of the Bard PowerPort, which were at risk of having an incorrect barb tip leading to “prolongation of operation.” While the recall was terminated in 2022, outcry against the devices and patients have called on the manufacturers to address the issues. 

As the lawsuits mounted, a judge combined them into a class action MDL which gained 45 new cases just in the past month. The total number of pending cases now stands at 232. Law firms continue to actively accept Bard PowerPort cases, and more filings are expected, and in the meantime lawyers are preparing a pool of cases to take to trial. The outcome will likely influence future rulings and settlements.

Have You Experienced Complications From A Bard PowerPort? 

If you or a loved one suffered health complications stemming from a Bard PowerPort catheter, legal recourse is an option and you may qualify to participate in a lawsuit investigation. 

The lawsuit process can be complex and lengthy, but it can also help you get justice and compensation for your injuries, to ensure you receive compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. It also holds manufacturers accountable, potentially leading to changes that prevent future harm to others.