Description of Event or Problem · 1
RPTR HAD A PACEMAKER IMPLANTED EXACTLY 3 YRS AGO. A FEW MOS LATER, RPTR HEARD THAT THE TELECTRONICS CO WAS BEING INVESTIGATED BY THE F.D.A. BECAUSE OF AN ACCUFIX-ATRIAL LEAD, WHICH IN SOME CASES, HAS BROKEN AND DAMAGED HEARTS, CAUSING DEATH. THE HOSP WHERE RPTR WAS IMPLANTED HAS PROVIDED FREE SCANS OF TELECTRONICS PACEMAKERS TWICE A YR, BEGINNING AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YR 1995, TO CHECK THE LEADS. RPTR ASSUMED THAT A NEW PACEMAKER WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, TOGETHER WITH SOME HOSP COSTS, IF THEIR PACEMAKER WAS REPLACED BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. HOWEVER, BEGINNING ON 10/28/94, RPTR HAD TO HAVE A GALLIUM SCAN, BECAUSE OF CHEST PAIN (SHORTLY AFTER THE IMPLANTATION). A HEART SPECIALIST STUDIED THE RESULTS AND ADVISED RPTR THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY REASON FOR THE PAIN. RPTR HAD TWO VISITS W/THIS DR. THEN ON NOVEMBER 11, 94, RPTR MADE AN EMERGENCY VISIT TO HOSP, BECAUSE AGAIN, THEY HAD PAINS IN THEIR CHEST. RPTR HAD ANOTHER CHEST SCAN. ON DECEMBER 2, 94, RPTR HAD TO HAVE ANOTHER CHEST X-RAY FOR PAIN IN CHEST W/FEVER. ON FEBRUARY 2, 1995, RPTR HAD TO HAVE A "CATHETER SCREENING." RPTR HAD TO PAY FOR ALL THESE TESTS AFTER MEDICARE PAID. A SHORT TIME LATER, RPTR WAS INFORMED BY THE PACEMAKER CLINIC THAT THEY HAD A "LOW" BATTERY. RPTR THOUGHT THEY MEANT THAT THE MACHINE WHICH THEY WERE USING TO HAVE THE OVER-THE-PHONE CHECK ON PACEMAKER, NEEDED NEW BATTERY. BUT THEY SAID, "NO, YOU NEED A NEW BATTERY!" SHORTLY AFTER RPTR REC'D THIS INFO, THEY SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE A CARDIOLOGIST, AND A TECHNICIAN FROM THE PACEMAKER CLINIC, AND THEY RESET RPTR'S PACEMAKER AT A HIGHER RATE. RPTR WASN'T TOLD EXACTLY WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO, BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH PACEMAKER PROCEDURES, BUT HAS SINCE LEARNED THAT WAS DONE. AT THE TIME THAT THE INFO WAS REVEALED ABOUT CO'S "LEADS," RPTR CALLED VARIOUS WELL-KNOWN HOSPS IN SURROUNDING SUBURBS, AND NONE OF THESE HOSPS USED TELECTRONICS PACEMAKERS. HOWEVER, RPTR BELIEVED AT THE TIME THAT CO WOULD HONOR THEIR WARRANTY OF FOUR YRS, IF A NEW PACEMAKER WAS NEEDED BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. FROM THE INFO THAT RPTR HAS GIVEN ABOUT THE MANY VISITS THEY HAD TO MAKE TO THE HOSP FOR VARIOUS TESTS SO SOON AFTER THE IMPLANT, RPTR BELIEVES THEY WERE GIVEN A "FAULTY" DEVICE. ALL THESE TESTS, CAUSED HER MUCH STRESS AND WORRY. RPTR WAS TOLD THAT TELECTRONICS HAS BEEN "BOUGHT OUT" BY A FIRM CALLED ST. JUDE, AND ASSUMED THAT THEY WOULD TAKE THE RESPONSIBLITY FOR REPLACING PACEMAKER, IF IT WAS NEEDED BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. HOWEVER, RTPR'S NOW BEING TOLD THAT THE WIRE THAT WAS PUT IN THEIR "ATRIAL VALVE" "SCARRED" THEIR VALVE, AND THAT ON FUTURE OPERATIONS, STEROID IS BEING PUT ON THE WIRE BEFORE IT ENTERS THE VALVE. CO WILL NOT PAY FOR REPLACING WITH A NEW PACEMAKER, AS IT IS NOT THEIR "FAULT" THAT THIS SCARRING TOOK PLACE. RPTR IS SCHEDULED TO HAVE A NEW PACEMAKER IMPLANTED ON 9/23/97, SINCE RPTR ONLY HAD ABOUT A WEEK OR SO LEFT ON THE OLD ONE.