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Port Catheter

Port catheters, also called port-a-caths or Totally Implantable Vascular Access Devices (TIVADs), are a type of medical device often used in chemotherapy and in other medical treatments that require patients to receive regular doses of intravenous medication, fluids, or transfusions.

Unfortunately, some patients implanted with port catheters are experiencing dangerous complications that are putting their health and lives further at risk.

How Do TIVADs Differ from Other IVs?

Unlike IV catheters, which are temporarily inserted into a vein through the skin of the hand or arm, port catheters are surgically implanted inside the body for long-term use.

The catheter line is threaded into one of the larger veins in the chest, while the attached access port where injections can be made sits just under the skin. TIVADs are generally considered safer and more sanitary, because the vein is easily accessible and is not at risk of damage through repeated insertions of a catheter line.

However, not only can ports become infected, they can also damage the vein and even other organs, especially when they are defectively designed or manufactured.

What Type of Injuries Are Associated with Port Catheters?

Lawsuits and recalls are already being filed over several brands of port catheters, including the Bard PowerPort, because they are now known to have an increased risk of breaking while still inside patients’ bodies.

Patients with these defective port catheters are experiencing:

  • Pieces of the device fracturing and puncturing veins, tissues, and organs
  • Pieces of the device migrating through the body
  • Materials used to manufacture the device deteriorating inside the body
  • Infection, sepsis, and necrosis
  • Internal hemorrhaging
  • Leaking of medication inside the body
  • Blood clots and deep vein thrombosis
  • Injuries to the heart

Victims experiencing these complications often require expensive revision surgery and suffer a decline in health.

How Do I Know If I Have a Case?

The manufacturers of the Bard PowerPort were aware that the components used to create the device could break down inside the body. Yet they still put their own profits above the safety of consumers by hiding this fact from doctors and the public, and did not issue warnings or recalls as soon as it was discovered.

Other brands and manufacturers may also be liable.

If the following applies to you, you may be able to seek compensation for your damages, including medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering:

  • Had a TIVAD (known or unknown manufacturer) implanted AND
  • Experienced at least one of the following:
    • Port breakage/fracture
    • Catheter breakage/fracture
    • Embolism or blot clot
    • Infection
    • Heart arrhythmia

If you are unsure if you qualify, contact our experienced team of injury lawyers for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss what you’ve gone through since receiving a port catheter.

What Do I Do to Get a Claim Started?

Medical manufacturers and their insurers have time, money, and resources that they aren’t afraid to spend if it means saving them even more money in payouts to injury victims. This is what makes it so hard for victims going it alone to ever get the financial help they need after bad outcomes from medical treatment.

You deserve a tough and dedicated legal team on your side as well. When you reach out to our firm, we can evaluate your claim and what you may be owed.

During your complimentary case evaluation, you may be asked questions such as:

  • When your port catheter was implanted
  • The make and model of the device that was implanted
  • The hospital at which your port catheter was implanted
  • When you began experiencing complications
  • What complications you’ve been experiencing
  • What treatment you’ve received for the resulting complications so far

If you have a claim to compensation and would like to move forward with a case, we can begin to compile evidence proving your injuries are a result of the TIVAD manufacturer’s negligence, and we can calculate a fair settlement based on your damages.

Discovering that your life was put at risk through someone else’s negligence when your health was already vulnerable is something no one should have to go through, but it unfortunately happens all too often.

We want to help you get justice for what you’ve gone through, and the money you and your family need to recover from this ordeal without additional stress. Call today to get your free case evaluation started.

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