Medical devicemaker reports 1 death, 10 injuries from surgical product

Olympus, a medical supply company based in Pennsylvania, warned customers that its High Flow Insufflation Unit may suddenly over-inflate air into a patient’s body without a warning. One death and 10 serious injuries have been reported to the FDA.

Advertisement

The device inflates the abdomen or colon with carbon dioxide gas, and it is used during laparoscopic and endoscopic surgeries, the FDA said Oct. 30. The product also provides automatic suction and smoke evacuation. 

The FDA labeled the issue as a Class I recall, the most serious type, for about 3,000 devices. The products are not being pulled from the market, but Olympus is recommending users stop using it “except when an alternative is not available or cannot be obtained,” according to an Oct. 27 news release. 

Clinicians using the High Flow Insufflation Unit UHI-4 should use “extreme caution,” the company said.

Olympus has received adverse event reports of gas embolism and over insufflation, including arrhythmias reported as “short cardiac arrests,” happening during surgical procedures.

Becker’s 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit is the top tier event that the people leading the future of pharmacy convene. This 3-day event is built specifically for Chief Pharmacy Officers and senior pharmacy leaders. The sessions examine the workforce, financial and clinical priorities shaping pharmacy today. Becker’s is where candid discussions flourish and new ideas thrive. Becker's 3rd Annual Fall Chief Pharmacy Officer Summit

Advertisement

Next Up in Supply Chain

  • Abbott has launched an updated version of its Oncodetect blood test, which helps clinicians determine whether cancer remains in patients…

  • Becker’s asked supply chain leaders: If you had an extra $1 million for your supply chain budget, where would it…

  • As hospitals redefine the role of supply chain leaders to focus on enterprise strategy, digital transformation and resilience, health systems…

Advertisement

Comments are closed.