FDA Adverse Event Malfunction Summary report: N

HI PWR DISPOSBL GRNDING PAD

MDR report key: 1100124 · Received August 5, 2008

Report

Report Number
1717344-2008-00357
Event Type
Malfunction
Date Received
August 5, 2008
Date of Event
July 3, 2008
Report Date
July 11, 2008
Manufacturer
COVIDIEN LP (VALLEYLAB)
Product Code
ODR
Product Problem
Yes
Report Source
Manufacturer report
Reporter Location
SN
Reporter Occupation
OTHER

Narratives

Additional Manufacturer Narrative · 1

THE SITE HAS INDICATED THE INCIDENT SAMPLE WILL NOT BE RETURNED FOR EVALUATION. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS IN REGARD TO THE INCIDENT HAVE ALSO BEEN ASKED. IF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PERTINENT TO THE INCIDENT IS OBTAINED, A FOLLOW-UP REPORT WILL BE SUBMITTED. DGPHP SITE BURNS CAN BE THE RESULT OF A NUMBER OF CAUSES INCLUDING PLACEMENT, DURATION OF TREATMENT AND POWER SETTINGS, PATIENT CONDITION, AND POTENTIALLY BY FAILURE OF THE DISPERSIVE ELECTRODE TO PERFORM AS INTENDED. IN THIS CASE, WITHOUT THE RETURN OF THE INCIDENT DISPERSIVE ELECTRODE, WE WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF ANY DEFECT OF THE PRODUCT CAUSED OR CONTRIBUTED TO THE INCIDENT. ONE OF THE CAUSES OF BURNS IS POOR DGPHP PLACEMENT. AS NOTED ABOVE, PROPER PLACEMENT OF THE DGPHP AND ENSURING GOOD CONTACT THROUGHOUT THE PROCEDURE (ESPECIALLY IF THE PATIENT IS REPOSITIONED) ARE CRITICAL COMPONENTS TO AVOIDING BURNS. THIS IS COVERED IN DETAIL IN OUR IFU. FURTHERMORE, WE ARE AWARE THAT SOME CUSTOMERS REUSE PADS EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE CLEARLY LABELED AS SINGLE USE DEVICES. REUSED DISPERSIVE ELECTRODES CAN DRY OUT AND BE A SOURCE FOR BURNS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT CONDUCT ELECTRICAL CURRENT PROPERLY. WE ARE CLOSELY MONITORING THE INCIDENCE RATE OF DISPERSIVE ELECTRODE BURNS. THE RATE OF BURNS FOR VALLEYLAB DGPHP DISPERSIVE ELECTRODES CONTINUES TO BE LOWER THAN THE OVERALL RATE OF RADIO FREQUENCY ABLATION DISPERSIVE ELECTRODE BURNS AS CITED IN CURRENT MEDICAL LITERATURE. CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS ARE ON-GOING TO ENSURE THAT CUSTOMERS ARE PROPERLY TRAINED, AND OUR IFU CLEARLY ILLUSTRATES THE PROPER PLACEMENT OF THE DISPERSIVE ELECTRODES. WE ALSO REINFORCE THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT REUSING THESE SINGLE USE DEVICES TO THE CUSTOMER WHENEVER THE OPPORTUNITY ARISES.

Description of Event or Problem · 1

THE REPORT STATED THAT AN OR NURSE DISCOVERED A BURN AT THE LOCATION OF THE PATIENT RETURN ELECTRODE AFTER AN HOUR OF A RADIO FREQUENCY LIVER ABLATION PROCEDURE. THE PATIENT HAD BLISTERS.

Devices

Seq Brand Generic Product Code Manufacturer Model Lot UDI-DI
1 HI PWR DISPOSBL GRNDING PAD ELECTROSURGICAL ACCESSORY ODR COVIDIEN LP (VALLEYLAB) IN3500

Patients

Seq Age Sex Outcome Treatment
1 UNK