When prescription or over-the-counter drugs are recalled, patients can contact their doctors to find suitable replacements or stop taking the affected medications (if advised). But when medical devices are recalled, patients often need surgery to remove the devices. And in some cases, there may not be a suitable replacement to help manage their health problems or disabilities.
Defective medical devices can pose serious health problems to patients. Doctors have a few different ways of treating patients who received medical devices that were later recalled, such as:
- Surgically removing the devices—When devices pose serious threats to patients’ health, doctors and surgical teams will remove them entirely. Unfortunately, that can leave patients at risk for the original health problems that caused them to need the devices in the first place.
- Repairing the devices—In some cases, the dangers posed by defective devices can be mitigated or reduced via revisions and repairs. However, that still requires surgical procedures, which always carry risks.
- Monitoring the devices—When surgery is too risky or when the recall doesn’t involve immediate health risks, doctors may opt to monitor patients more closely for signs of complications.
If you think your medical device may be defective or causing you to suffer complications, it’s important to get in touch with your doctor right away. He or she can evaluate you and determine if your medical device is at fault and what steps to take to correct the issue.
The defective medical device lawyers at Ferrer Poirot Feller Daniel are here to help if you or a loved one were harmed by a medical device. Call today for a free consultation.