The heart Institute continues to be a manufacturer

Michael Nguyen

Tuesday, 23 January 2018 21:30

UPDATE
Tuesday, 23 January 2018 21:30

Look at this article

The Montreal heart Institute [CMI] has filed a lawsuit of $ 345,000 from a company that has sold equipment contaminated by a pathogenic bacteria, affecting some 8,000 patients.

The case had caused a stir two years ago, when thousands of patients who have undergone open-heart surgery have received a disturbing letter, making a risk of contamination if they had been operated on after 2012.

This recall was intended as a preventive measure, because the risk was evaluated from 0.1 to 1 %, according to a press release issued in 2016.

“As a manufacturer and a professional seller, [Corporation Livanova Canada] is presumed to know the defect “, one can read in the court document justifying the claim.

Generators

The problem came from generators, thermal imaging, purchased by the Corporation LivaNova Canada a few years earlier.

Except that in June 2015, the company has notified the Institute of a risk of contamination, one can read in the lawsuit, made public Tuesday at the palais de justice of Montreal.

“[CMI] has committed resources human, material and financial significant because of this contamination, one can read in the document. As of the date hereof, the greater of $ 200,000 has been committed to the recall. “

In addition to preventing contamination, the company had also submitted to the CMI with a protocol of disinfection, says the civil lawsuit.

But the solution would have proven to be ineffective, to the point where the institute had to buy new equipment, which would have also proved to be problematic.

“Because of the risks posed by the equipment […], Corporation LivaNova Canada has recommended the use of additional supplies, deplores the ICM. This situation will incur in the ICM, for the next 10 years, additional costs of approximately $ 135,000. “

In spite of the warnings, LivaNova refuses to pay, hence the filing of a civil lawsuit. The company has not recalled The Newspaper.