Hundreds of lawsuits have been filed by people who claim that 3M’s Bair Hugger warming blanket contributed to their serious joint infections, limb amputations, or other surgical complications.
Need a Texas Bair Hugger Lawyer? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you or a loved one was diagnosed with a joint infection after hip or knee surgery, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit in Texas.
UPDATE: 3M Faces 550 Bair Hugger Lawsuits
August 22, 2016 — 3M is facing about 550 lawsuits from people who say the Bair Hugger warming device caused them to develop severe infections after undergoing joint surgery. Click here to read more.
December 15, 2015 — Federal judges have consolidated dozens of lawsuits involving Bair Hugger joint infections into Multi-District Litigation (MDL No. 2666) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota under Judge Joan N. Ericksen. Click here to read more.
November 24, 2015 — 3M Co. is facing lawsuits from more than 50 orthopedic surgery patients who blame the Bair Hugger warming blanket for causing severe joint infections. Click here to read more.
September 22, 2015 — Federal judges have been asked to consolidate 14 lawsuits involving the Bair Hugger into one federal court in Minnesota, a move 3M and Arizant oppose. Click here to read more.
September 14, 2015 — More lawsuits have been filed by people who developed antibiotic-resistant MRSA infections after undergoing hip or knee replacements in which the Bair Hugger was used. Click here to read more.
August 3, 2015 — A man from Michigan who developed a severe infection after a hip replacement has filed a lawsuit (PDF) claiming the Bair Hugger blew bacteria onto his body. Click here to read more.
July 29, 2015 — 3M has been hit with a lawsuit (PDF) claiming the Bair Hugger caused an antibiotic-resistant MRSA infection after routine hip replacement surgery. Click here to read more.
What is the 3M Bair Hugger?
Anesthetized patients can’t regulate their body temperature very well, which puts them at risk of hypothermia during surgery. The Bair Hugger is a device that forces warm air through a hose to a special blanket that is draped over a patient. It was invented by Dr. Scott D. Augustine, an anesthesiologist in Minnesota, and is now sold by 3M.
What is the Problem?
Dr. Augustine warns that the forced air in the Bair Hugger can spread bacteria associated with a hospital-acquired infection. He says the device poses a danger to patients receiving implant devices like artificial heart valves and joints, according to the New York Times. He now recommends that hospitals switch to another device he invented that works like an electric blanket.
MRSA Infections Linked to Bair Hugger
In joint implant surgery, even minor bacterial contamination can be catastrophic. After knee replacement surgery, one patient named Rosie Bartel developed a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection, had to have 11 surgeries, amputated part of her leg, and now must use a wheelchair. Click here to read more.
Texas Bair Hugger Lawsuit
In March 2013, 3M and Arizant Healthcare were hit with a lawsuit (PDF) from a 70 year-old hip implant recipient, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. The plaintiff, Tommy Walton, underwent total hip replacement surgery in March 2011 at a hospital in Houston, Texas and developed a severe deep joint infection. According to the lawsuit:
“[Bair Hugger] picked germs up and blew them directly onto the hip replacement device. Once a pathogen settles on an artificial joint, the infection is almost impossible to defeat.”
He eventually needed 15 surgeries, including removal of the artificial hip. Even after extensive treatment at the Mayo Clinic, he was left with severe disability and pain. One leg is now several inches shorter than the other. Click here to read more.
Bair Hugger MRSA Lawsuit Filed in Kansas
In March 2014, a federal lawsuit was filed in Kansas by Timothy Johnson, a man who developed an antibiotic-resistant MRSA infection following knee replacement surgery and had to have his leg amputated. According to the complaint, the Bair Hugger is defective because it “creates warm, rising, airflow currents that deposit bacteria from the floor of the surgical room into the surgical site.”
Hip and Knee Joint Replacement Infections
Knee replacements and hip replacements are two of the most common elective surgeries. Unfortunately, about 1% of patients develop an infection after the operation. Joint infections can occur in the wound or deep around the artificial joint. Patients with infected joints often require multiple surgeries to cure the infection. Treatment typically involves removal of the implant, washout of the joint and soft tissues, intravenous antibiotics, and revision surgery.
Symptoms of a Joint Infection
- Increased pain or stiffness in a previously well-functioning joint
- Swelling
- Warmth and redness around the wound
- Wound drainage
- Fevers, chills, and night sweats
- Fatigue
Bair Hugger Class Action
The Clark Firm, LLP is nationally recognized as a class action law firm, but our attorneys are not currently investigating a Bair Hugger class action. Instead, we are advocating for each of our clients by filing individual lawsuits.
Need a Bair Hugger Lawyer in Texas?
Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.
Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”
The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $260 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact our Texas Bair Hugger lawyers for a free lawsuit review.
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