The lawsuit was filed by Monica G., a woman from Mississippi who was injured by the Option™ ELITE Retrievable Inferior Vena Cava (“IVC Filter”) manufactured by Argon Medical Devices Inc. and Rex Medical Devices, L.P.
The Option IVC Filter was implanted in her body on October 18, 2013 for the prevention of pulmonary emboli and deep vein thrombosis by Dr. Jeffery Howard at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo, MS.
On November 3, 2016, she underwent an unsuccessful procedure to remove the Option IVC Filter. During the attempt, it was discovered that the hook of the filter was embedded in the wall of the vena cava.
Furthermore, the Option IVC filter was also tilted and several wire legs (called “struts”) of the filter were perforating the vena cava.
On April 20, 2017, she underwent a second unsuccessful retrieval procedure. Again, the Option IVC filter could not be removed because it was embedded, tilted, and puncturing the vein.
On May 12, 2017, she underwent a third retrieval procedure which proved successful. Surgeons confirmed that several struts were protruding through the wall of her vein.
During these three surgical procedures, she suffered physical pain and anxiety about whether the filter could be retrieved and if she would suffer further pain and complications due to the defective filter. According to the complaint:
Defendants knew and/or should have known that the Filter had a high rate of embedment, fracture, migration, excessive tilting, perforation of the vena cava wall, and thrombosis once implanted in the human body.”
Lawyers say the safety and effectiveness of the Option IVC filter was not adequately tested and has not been established by Rex Medical. The manufacturers are accused of downplaying safety risks and selling a dangerously defective medical device.
The lawsuit was filed on June 20, 2017 in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas — Case ID: 170602033.
There are now 4,000 other IVC filter lawsuits pending against Rex Medical, Argon Medical, Cook Medical, C.R. Bard, and other manufacturers in state and federal courts nationwide.
The plaintiff is represented by attorney Ben C. Martin of The Law Offices of Ben C. Martin in Dallas, Texas; and attorney Stephen A. Sheller of Sheller, P.C., in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Editor’s note: For more information about IVC Filter lawsuits and your legal rights, please contact The Law Offices of Ben C. Martin.