HARMONIC ACE 36 CM
Report
- Report Number
- 3005075853-2008-02190
- Event Type
- Malfunction
- Date Received
- October 7, 2008
- Date of Event
- August 25, 2008
- Report Date
- August 28, 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
- CA, US
- Reporter Occupation
- OTHER
Narratives
EVALUATION SUMMARY: THE ANALYSIS RESULTS FOUND THAT THE DEVICE WAS RETURNED WITH THE BLADE SCRATCHED AND CRACKED. 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. DUE TO THE DAMAGE TO THE BLADE, IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE DEVICE WAS NON-FUNCTIONAL. THE DEVICE WAS TESTED WITH A GEN04 AND AN ERROR CODE 5 AS 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. WE HAVE DOCUMENTED THE CIRCUMSTANCES AS THEY WERE REPORTED TO US. IN ADDITION, COMPLAINT INFORMATION IS TRENDED ON A REGULAR BASIS TO DETERMINE IF FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS WARRANTED. THE BATCH HISTORY RECORDS WERE REVIEWED WITH NO ANOMALIES NOTED DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS.
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING A GASTRIC BYPASS ROUX-EN-Y PROCEDURE, THE DEVICE STOPPED WORKING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CASE. ANOTHER DEVICE WAS USED TO COMPLETE THE PROCEDURE. THERE WAS NO ADVERSE CONSEQUENCE 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 | E4L41Y |
Patients
| Seq | Age | Sex | Outcome | Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HANDPIECE| GENERATOR |