Medtronic Lawsuit Lawyers, Williams Kherkher

How Defibrillators Really Work

Most of us have seen defibrillators on television shows or in movies. A doctor places two paddles on the chest of a patient in cardiac arrest, yells “Clear!” and delivers an electrical shock which causes the patient’s body to convulse dramatically. Unfortunately, this portrayal of defibrillator usage is not very accurate.

A defibrillator is a medical device designed to correct certain cardiac arrhythmias, or irregular heart beat patterns. By definition, cardiac arrhythmias are caused by abnormal electrical activity in the heart, resulting in contractions which are irregular, too fast, or too slow.

While some arrhythmias are common and benign (such as feeling one’s heart “skip a beat”), others can interrupt the normal flow of blood, causing death in very short periods of time, as vital organs such as the brain suffocate from lack of oxygen. Contrary to the impression given by the popular media, defibrillation is not usually performed on patients who “flat-line” on an electrocardiogram (ECG). Instead, defibrillators are mostly used to correct two highly dangerous and life-threatening arrhythmias: ventricular fibrillation, or ‘V-fiB,’ and ventricular tachycardia, or ‘V-tach.’

Modern defibrillators come in many varieties, from portable units carried in ambulances, to automated units sometimes found in public area, to implantable unit placed directly into a patient’s body. The general principle of treatment, however, remains the same. By applying a short-term, high-voltage, direct-current charge to the patient’s chest area, a defibrillator is able to interrupt abnormal rhythms and hopefully allow the heart to resume normal function. Though the shock is powerful, technological advances have allowed the use of lower-energy shocks which are less likely to cause burns or internal damage. Furthermore, unlike the dramatic portrayal seen in the media, defibrillators rarely cause the patient’s body to “jump” with the force of the shock.

Although defibrillators can save lives, improperly designed units can do the opposite. Studies have shown that defective Sprint Fidelis leads in Medtronic’s implantable defibrillator were prone to fracture, causing the units to administer powerful shocks at inappropriate times, causing intense pain, anxiety, and even death for people carrying them.

If you have been implanted with a Medtronic defibrillator with Sprint Fidelis leads, you may have a case against the company that produced this defective product. To learn more, call a Medtronic lawsuit attorney from Williams Kherkher at 866-950-9000 today.