Birmingham, AL -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/27/2015 --A conference will be held Monday to discuss 3M Bair Hugger lawsuits and post-operative infections sustained by hip and knee replacement patients from the Bair Hugger forced air warming blanket. Southern Med Law, an experienced law firm representing men and women in product liability lawsuits reports the warning blanket injury conference is geared to provide more information for a deeper understanding on how to proceed with 3M Bair Hugger lawsuits that purport 3M's Bair Hugger warming blankets have caused patients to develop prosthetic joint infections (PJI) following hip and knee implants after the Bair Hugger warming blanket disrupted the airflow in operating rooms and contaminate the sterile field in the rooms. This contaminated purportedly caused surgical patients to develop infections that required repeat surgeries replacement of their artificial joint and in some cases amputation. A strong connection has been shown between Bair Hugger and patients developing prosthetic joint infections (PJI) following hip and knee implants.
"Currently filed lawsuits contend there is a strong connection between the Bair Hugger forced air warmer blanket and patients developing prosthetic joint infections (PJI) following hip and knee implants. The teleseminar will be of great benefit to those who want more information on Forced Air Warming technology and how Biar Hugger, specifically, has affected the lives of many patients," says Dr. François Blaudeau, a founder of Southern Med Law.
3M Bair Hugger Warming Blanket
3M's Bair Hugger forced air warmer blanket uses FAW technology to maintain patients' normal body temperature during surgery to prevent hypothermia. According to 3M, Bair Hugger forced air warmer blanket is the first ever FAW system and has been used by 180 million patients around the world, a "number that increases by more than 50,000 patients each day." According to 3M's advertisement for the product, over 80 percent of U.S. hospitals use Bair Huggar therapy. The problems with the forced air warmer blanket comes in connection with PJIs. The number of PJI's following hip and knee implants has been on the rise since 1999, from less than 5 percent in 1990 to its current number of 3.5 percent, according to the presentation materials for teleseminar. Simultaneously, the medical field has taken steps, such as antibiotic protocols, cleaner operating rooms, body evacuation suits, and better sterilization procedures to prevent PJIs from occurring. However, FAW has not changed since that time and has been associated with contaminating sterile areas which leads to infections, according to the presentation materials.
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Bair Hugger Warming Blanket Lawsuit
Court documents indicate that 3M is facing multiple Bair Hugger warming blanket lawsuits. One lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court, District of Kansas, alleges that Bair Hugger caused the plaintiff to develop a Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection after undergoing a knee replacement surgery in September 2010. The plaintiff contends he had to have his leg amputated due to the infection. According to the forced air warming blanket lawsuit, the hot air accumulates under the surgical drape and escapes below the level of the surgical table. The complaint maintains that the escaped air creates warm, rising airflow currents that deposit bacteria from the floor of the surgical room into the surgical site. The Bair warming blanket lawsuit purports that 3M knew about the risks associated with its Bair Hugger system, but did not redesign the blanket or warn healthcare professionals about the risk.(Case No. Case 2:14-cv-02044). In another warming blanket lawsuit a 70-year-old man developed a deep-joint infection after hip replacement surgery purportedly due to the Bair Hugger. The infection caused the plaintiff to undergo 15 additional surgeries, including a revision surgery for his artificial hip. (Case No. 4:13-cv-01164, U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas)
About Southern Med Law
Southern Med Law is a patient and consumer advocacy organization providing legal representation to the victims of negligent personal injuries, medical malpractice, dangerous drugs, faulty medical devices and defective products. Led by Dr. François Blaudeau, an attorney and a practicing obstetrician/ gynecologist, the legal staff at Southern Med Law possesses a deep understanding of the complex medical and legal questions at issue in all manner of product liability and personal injury claims. They're not afraid to take on the nation's largest corporations in their pursuit of justice, and are committed to ensuring that all victims have access to the type of aggressive legal advocacy that assures success.
Southern Med Law
François M. Blaudeau, MD JD FACHE FCLM Esquire
2224 1st Avenue North
Birmingham, Alabama 35203
Phone: 205-547-5525
Cell: 205-515-6166
Fax: 205-547-5526
francois@southernmedlaw.com
http://www.southernmedlaw.com
Medical Negligence/MedicalDevice/Pharma/Qui Tam
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