The lead wire used by Medtronic in their implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) or Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy-Defibrillators (CRT-Ds) can fracture and cause severe – and sometimes fatal – complications.

If the lead fractures inside a blood vessel, there are three possible scenarios:

1. The device will recognize the danger and beep, signaling that the patient should seek immediate medical attention.
2. The device will experience complete depletion of its battery, in which case it fails to deliver the necessary shock to jump-start the heart
3. The device will erroneously send a massive electric shock to the heart, causing sharp and severe chest pain – and in some cases, a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) or even death.

A fractured lead can even puncture through organs, putting one’s entire system at risk. At least five reported incidents of death occurred without warning or adequate time for the patient to alert a medical provider.

If you or a loved one has had a Medtronic ICD implanted, you should contact Douglas & London to speak with an attorney immediately. Our legal and medical experts can be reached by calling (866) 445-9599, by writing to info@douglasandlondon.com, or by completing our Free Case Evaluation Form and letting someone from our office contact you.