Lawsuit Filed after Defective Medical Device Destroys Man's Heart

By Richard Seward

Published on February 12, 2008

In October 2004, Paramjit Singh went to Providence Everett Medical Center for bypass surgery after suffering a heart attack. Though the bypass proved successful, the surgeon performing the operation was unable to restart Singh’s heart. It was discovered that a catheter inserted into Singh’s heart to monitor blood flow had overheated and melted as it reached temperatures approaching 500 degrees. Singh’s heart was cooked from the inside, necessitating a transplant.

Edwards Lifesciences of Irvine, California, the manufacturer of the device responsible for the damage to Singh’s heart, was named as the defendant in the lawsuit. Though accepting responsibility for the accident, the company argues that Providence also shares in the blame. According to attorneys for Edwards Lifesciences, the hospital used a defective cable to connect the catheter to the monitor. Edwards’ attorneys also maintain that Providence had no procedure in place at the time of the operation to inspect and replace defective cables.

Since the operation and subsequent transplant, Singh is at risk for kidney failure and has developed cancer as a result of a weakened immune system caused by the anti-rejection drugs he must take. Continuing his drug treatment, Singh may, in the future, require a kidney transplant and even a second new heart.

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