The lawsuit was filed by Kelly B., a woman from Arkansas who was injured by Günther Tulip® Inferior Vena Cava Filter (“IVC Filter”) manufactured by Cook Medical LLC and William Cook Europe.
The IVC Filter was implanted in her body to prevent a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs) on May 23, 2011 at Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock, Arkansas by Dr. Kenneth V. Robbins.
One of the most common problems with the Günther Tulip® IVC Filter is tilting and vein perforations. These problems occur when the Tulip’s needle-like metal legs erode into the vein and puncture through.
Vein perforations occurred in 43% of patients with a Günther Tulip IVC Filter after an average follow-up of 437 days, according to a study of 120 patients that was published in 2013.
The study also found a significantly higher risk of vein perforation with the Günther Tulip than with older stainless-steel IVC filters like the Greenfield. The researchers warned:
Greenfield filters had a significantly lower rate of IVC perforation than Celect and Tulip filters. Higher IVC perforation rates were observed in women and patients with a history of malignancy.”
Thousands of lawsuits have been filed against Cook Medical by people who were injured by the Günther Tulip and other IVC Filters. Lawyers accuse Cook Medical of selling defective medical devices and failing to warn patients or doctors about dangerous side effects.
The lawsuit was filed on August 8, 2017 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana (Indianapolis Division) — Case No. 1:17-cv-02674-TWP-MPB.
It will be centralized with approximately 2,350 other IVC filter lawsuits that are currently pending in Multi-District Litigation (MDL No. 2570) — In Re: Cook Medical, Inc., IVC Filters Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation.
The plaintiff is represented by Ben C. Martin and Thomas Wm. Arbon of The Law Offices of Ben C. Martin.
Ben C. Martin is a trial attorney based in Dallas, Texas who serves as the plaintiffs’ co-lead counsel in the Cook IVC Filter MDL.