The Bard PowerPort is an implantable port device made and sold by Bard Access Systems, Inc. It’s designed to let medical professionals easily inject fluids and medications into a patient’s bloodstream. If these devices fracture, become dislodged, or cause an infection in a patient’s body, though, they can cause serious harm.
Enough Bard PowerPort lawsuits have been already filed that a multidistrict litigation has been created to streamline the process of handling the lawsuits for the court system.
If you or someone you loved was injured or suffered health issues as a result of using a Bard PowerPort, you may be eligible for financial compensation. The PowerPort injury lawyers at Nadrich & Cohen are ready to fight for you. We work quickly and thoroughly, handling every step of the legal process so that you can focus on healing. We have been representing victims of defective medical devices for over 30 years. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your Bard PowerPort case.
What Is The Bard PowerPort Port Catheter Device?
The Bard PowerPort is a device that medical professionals implant under the skin of a patient’s arm or chest to easily access their veins. This implanted port device, also known as a port-a-cath, allows easy access to a patient’s vascular system and allows medical professionals to administer regular intravenous injections and therapies without sticking patients’ veins with needles.
Bard claims that its implanted port device can allegedly withstand higher injection pressures than a normal port, which allows for rapid fluid injection.
A Bard PowerPort port catheter device consists of:
- The port: This device has one or two small basins sealed with silicone that allow for multiple needle punctures. It gets implanted in the patient’s arm or chest, providing easy access for injections.
- The catheter: This is a small, soft tube that connects to the port. It is placed inside one of the large central veins that transports blood to the patient’s heart.
To administer medication or take blood samples using the PowerPort, a medical professional must use a special needle, called the PowerLoc needle, to stick the patient’s port and easily access their bloodstream.
It has been reported that the Bard PowerPort is implanted over 300,000 times per year in the United States, and that 59.05 percent of patients who have a port-a-catheter like a Bard PowerPort implanted in them see complications within five years. There are estimated to be 100,000 Bard PowerPort cases out there right now.
It has been reported that about 45 percent of the cases involve infection, about 35 percent of the cases involve breakage and about 30 percent of the cases involve blood clots.
Problems With Bard PowerPort Devices
Bard PowerPorts are designed to facilitate easier fluid and medication injections, but they may be subject to issues that cause them to fail.
Some injuries have occurred when metal needles have contacted plastic in the catheter, leading to small scratches and holes being created in the catheter. This lets bacteria collect on the catheter surface, possibly leading to severe or even deadly sepsis or infections.
The device also features plastic with barium sulfate mixed into it. While the barium sulfate is designed to make the device visible on imaging, lawsuits allege too much barium sulfate was used, leading to decreased structural integrity, device degradation and the possibility of the device fracturing and migrating within the body.
The three most common problems with PowerPorts are:
- Catheter fracture
- Catheter infection
- Catheter migration
Catheter Fracture
A catheter fracture is when a portion of a catheter breaks in a patient’s body. In some cases, the catheter may break down further within the bloodstream, causing silicone and polyurethane fragments to travel throughout the patient’s circulatory system.
Fractured catheters are often caused by flex fatigue, which is muscle flexing or movement around the site of the PowerPort.
Catheter Infection
Infections caused by PowerPort catheters can lead to serious and even life-threatening problems.
Common catheter infection injuries include:
- Bloodstream infections
- Tissue necrosis around the PowerPort
- Soreness or swelling where the PowerPort is placed
Catheter Migration
Migration is when a catheter dislodges itself from the port and moves to other organs in the patient’s circulatory system. Catheter migration may result in neck, shoulder, and ear pain, as well as various potentially life-threatening symptoms. Surgery may be required if the catheter migrates or the PowerPort device becomes dislodged.
Injuries Caused by Bard PowerPorts
Bard PowerPort devices may break apart or move around within the body, which could lead to serious injuries and health problems.
Common injuries associated with Bard PowerPorts include:
- Blood clots
- Severe infections
- Sepsis or septic shock
- Hematomas (pools of clotted blood that form in an organ or tissue)
- Cardiac punctures
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Severe or chronic pain
- Necrosis
- Pulmonary embolism
- Patient death
What To Do After A Bard PowerPort Device Complication
If you’re experiencing pain or symptoms that you believe may be caused by your Bard PowerPort device, seek medical care immediately. Speak with your doctor to address the problem as soon as possible, and be sure to follow their orders to mitigate future complications.
If your injuries are the result of a Bard PowerPort, seek legal representation by contacting Nadrich & Cohen. Our Bard PowerPort lawyers understand what you’re going through and can help you navigate the legal process.
When you bring a Bard PowerPort claim to the team at Nadrich & Cohen, we can:
- Review your situation to determine if you qualify to file a lawsuit
- Gather evidence to build a solid case on your behalf
- File your lawsuit
- Negotiate to settle your case favorably
- Take your case to court if necessary
Is There A Time Limit To File A Bard PowerPort Lawsuit?
Each state’s statute of limitations determines how much time you have to file a lawsuit after suffering an injury associated with the Bard PowerPort. So, be sure to contact a trusted attorney as soon as possible.
Who Can File A Bard PowerPort Lawsuit?
You may be able to seek compensation by filing a Bard PowerPort lawsuit if you or a loved one suffered an injury or health problem associated with catheter failure or device dislodgement after using a Bard PowerPort.
You might have a Bard PowerPort case if you had the device implanted and ended up suffering from:
- Device fracture or breakage
- Blood clots
- Infection which was diagnosed over 90 days after device
- implantation
- Cardiac arrhythmia
- Device migration
- Pericardial/cardiac tamponade
- Necrosis near the device site
- Perforation of organs, blood vessels or tissues
August 2023 Update
Many Bard PowerPort lawsuits have been filed in the past few months. 48 or more lawsuits have been filed in 25 different districts around the United States. As a result, lawyers filed to consolidate the cases in a multidistrict litigation.
The cases were consolidated in a multidistrict litigation on August 8, 2023. Judge David G. Campbell will handle every common element of the PowerPort cases, including bellwether trials. This usually occurs in situations like this one where a lot of people were hurt by the same defective product. Having all of the cases consolidated in front of a single judge keeps all of the cases moving as quickly as possible.
How Much Will It Cost To File A Bard PowerPort Lawsuit?
When you choose Nadrich & Cohen to handle your Bard PowerPort case, you won’t pay any upfront costs or hourly fees. There’s no risk associated with filing a lawsuit because our team will only get paid if you are rewarded financial compensation in your case.
Hire A Bard PowerPort Lawyer
If you’ve suffered an injury caused by a Bard PowerPort device, you shouldn’t have to face this challenge alone. The Bard injury attorneys at Nadrich & Cohen are prepared to represent you and fight for the compensation you deserve. We are filing Bard PowerPort lawsuits on behalf of those injured by the devices. We have been recovering compensation for those injured by the negligence of a medical device manufacturer since 1990. We have recovered over $350,000,000 for our clients in those 30+ years.
Contact a Bard PowerPort injury lawyer at Nadrich & Cohen today for a free consultation — give us a call, text us from this page, or fill out our contact form. We’ll get back to you quickly to advise you of your legal options.
