FDA Adverse Event Malfunction Summary report: N

HARMONIC ACE 36 CM

MDR report key: 1121940 · Received August 13, 2008

Report

Report Number
3005075853-2008-01189
Event Type
Malfunction
Date Received
August 13, 2008
Date of Event
July 7, 2008
Report Date
July 9, 2008
Manufacturer
ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, LLC
Product Code
LFL
PMA / PMN Number
K042777
Removal / Correction Number
NA
Product Problem
Yes
Report Source
Manufacturer report
Reporter Location
JA
Reporter Occupation
OTHER

Narratives

Additional Manufacturer Narrative · 1

THE ANALYSIS RESULTS FOUND THAT THE DEVICE A AND B WERE RETURNED WITH THE BLADE SCRATCHED AND CRACKED. DUE TO THE DAMAGE TO THE BLADE, IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE DEVICES WERE NON-FUNCTIONAL. THE DEVICE WILL STOP ACTIVATING, AND EITHER EMIT A SOLID TONE OR DISPLAY AN INSTRUMENT ERROR CODE 5 ON THE GENERATOR DISPLAY WHEN THE BLADE BECOMES DAMAGE. THE DEVICE WERE TESTED WITH A GENERATOR AND AN ERROR CODE 5 WAS NOTED. WHEN A BLADE HAS BEEN COMPROMISED, SCRATCHED OR CRACKED, THE TITANIUM METAL IS FATIGUED WHEN CONTINUALLY ENERGIZED AND THIS RESULTS IN THE BLADE FURTHER CRACKING AND POSSIBLY BREAKING OFF. DURING THE ANALYSIS PROCESS, THE BLADE WAS TESTED FOR SCRATCHES AND CRACKS AND THE BLADE FURTHER CRACKED. THE IDENTIFIED BLADE DAMAGE MAY HAVE OCCURRED FROM EXTERNAL CONTACT DURING PRE-OP OR GENERAL USE. IN ADDITION, MINOR BLADE DAMAGE MAY INCREASE IN SEVERITY DURING SUBSEQUENT ACTIVATIONS, AND MAY RESULT IN BLADE "LOCKOUT" LATER IN THE PROCEDURE. FOR THIS REASON THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE: "AVOID ACCIDENTAL CONTACT WITH ALL METAL OR PLASTIC INSTRUMENTS OR OBJECTS WHEN THE INSTRUMENT IS ACTIVATED. CONTACT WITH STAPLES, CLIPS OR OTHER INSTRUMENTS WHILE THE INSTRUMENT IS ACTIVATED MAY RESULT IN CRACKED OR BROKEN BLADES, WHICH MAY BE IDENTIFIED BY GENERATOR SOLID TONE OR INSTRUMENT ERROR." EACH DEVICE IS VISUALLY INSPECTED AND FUNCTIONALLY TESTED PRIOR TO SHIPMENT, AND DAMAGE OF THIS MAGNITUDE WOULD HAVE BEEN DETECTED AT THIS PROCESS. THE ANALYSIS RESULTS FOUND THAT THE DEVICE C WAS RETURNED WITH THE DISTAL TIP OF THE BLADE BROKEN OFF AND MISSING. THE REMAINING BLADE PORTION WAS SCRATCHED. THIS BLADE TIP PORTION MAY HAVE BROKEN OFF OF THE DEVICE DURING TRANSPORT TO OUR DECONTAMINATION FACILITY OR FROM OUR DECONTAMINATION TO THE ANALYSIS SITE. THE REPORTED COMPLAINT WAS "ERROR 5 INSTRUMENT" AND "SOLID TONE". THE DEVICE WILL STOP ACTIVATING, AND EITHER EMIT A SOLID TONE OR DISPLAY AN INSTRUMENT ERROR CODE 5 ON THE GENERATOR DISPLAY WHEN THE BLADE BECOMES DAMAGED. THE IDENTIFIED BLADE DAMAGE MAY HAVE OCCURRED FROM EXTERNAL CONTACT DURING PRE-OP OR GENERAL USE. IN ADDITION, MINOR BLADE DAMAGE MAY INCREASE IN SEVERITY DURING SUBSEQUENT ACTIVATIONS, AND MAY RESULT IN BLADE "LOCKOUT" LATER IN THE PROCEDURE. THEREFORE, THE INSTRUCTIONAL INSERT STATES: "AVOID ACCIDENTAL CONTACT WITH ALL METAL OR PLASTIC INSTRUMENTS OR OBJECTS WHEN THE INSTRUMENT IS ACTIVATED. CONTACT WITH STAPLES, CLIPS OR OTHER INSTRUMENTS WHILE THE INSTRUMENT IS ACTIVATED MAY RESULT IN CRACKED OR BROKEN BLADES, WHICH MAY BE IDENTIFIED BY GENERATOR SOLID TONE OR INSTRUMENT ERROR." EACH DEVICE IS VISUALLY INSPECTED AND FUNCTIONALLY TESTED PRIOR TO SHIPMENT, AND DAMAGE OF THIS MAGNITUDE WOULD HAVE BEEN DETECTED AT THIS PROCESS. COMPLAINT INFORMATION IS TRENDED ON A REGULAR BASIS TO DETERMINE IF FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS WARRANTED. THE BATCH HISTORY RECORD WERE REVIEWED WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. DEVICE C: MFG DATE 03/2008. EXP DATE 022013.

Description of Event or Problem · 1

IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING AN ESOPHAGECTOMY PROCEDURE, AN ERROR CODE 5 OCCURRED. ANOTHER DEVICE WAS USED TO COMPLETE THE CASE. THERE WERE NO ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES TO THE PATIENT.

Devices

Seq Brand Generic Product Code Manufacturer Model Lot UDI-DI
1 HARMONIC ACE 36 CM LFL ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, LLC NA E4KV1W

Patients

Seq Age Sex Outcome Treatment
1 GENERATOR| HANDPIECE