ECHELON*FLEX45
Report
- Report Number
- 3005075853-2011-01397
- Event Type
- Malfunction
- Date Received
- April 7, 2011
- Date of Event
- March 10, 2011
- Report Date
- March 14, 2011
- Manufacturer
- ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, LLC.
- Product Code
- GDW
- PMA / PMN Number
- K051002
- Removal / Correction Number
- NA
- Product Problem
- Yes
- Report Source
- Manufacturer report
- Reporter Location
- CO, US
- Reporter Occupation
- OTHER
Narratives
(B)(4). THE ANALYSIS FOUND THAT THE EC45A DEVICE WAS RECEIVED IN GOOD VISUAL CONDITION AND WITHOUT A RELOAD PRESENT. THE DEVICE WAS TESTED FOR FUNCTIONALITY IN THE ARTICULATED POSITION WITH A TEST CARTRIDGE RELOAD AND IT FIRED, CUT AND FORMED ALL THE STAPLES AS INTENDED. THE CARTRIDGE WAS LOADED INTO THE DEVICE WITHOUT DIFFICULTIES AND DID NOT FELL OUT DURING THE VISUAL AND FUNCTIONAL TESTING. THE CUT WAS NOTED TO BE JAGGED DUE TO A DAMAGED KNIFE. ONE POSSIBLE CAUSE FOR THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE TO THE KNIFE IS WHEN THE DEVICE IS FIRED OVER AN ALREADY EXISTING STAPLE LINE, HARD OBJECT OR THICKER TISSUE THAN INDICATED. REPEATEDLY FIRING ACROSS EXISTING STAPLE LINES CAN ALSO REDUCE THE ABILITY TO CUT CLEANLY. TO MITIGATE THE POTENTIAL FOR STAPLES GETTING INTO THE CARTRIDGE AND INTERFERING WITH THE KNIFE PATH DURING DEVICE FIRING, PRIOR TO RELOADING THE DEVICE, RINSE THE ANVIL AND CARTRIDGE JAW IN STERILE SOLUTION AND THEN WIPE THE ANVIL AND CARTRIDGE JAW TO CLEAN ANY FORMED BUT UNUSED STAPLES FROM THE DEVICE. ADDITIONALLY, PROPER CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN WHEN PLACING THE DEVICE ON THE TISSUE TO BE STAPLED, TO ENSURE THAT NO HARD OBSTRUCTION SUCH AS A CLIP IS INCLUDED WITH THE TISSUE INSIDE THE JAWS. AS PART OF OUR QUALITY PROCESS, EACH DEVICE IS VISUALLY INSPECTED AND FUNCTIONALLY TESTED DURING MANUFACTURING TO ENSURE THAT THE DEVICE MEETS THE REQUIRED SPECIFICATIONS PRIOR TO SHIPMENT. A BATCH RECORD REVIEW WAS PERFORMED AND NO ANOMALIES WERE FOUND DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS.
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING A PROCEDURE, ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS A RELOAD IN THE JAWS OF THE DEVICE SLIPPED OUT DURING ARTICULATION OF THE DEVICE. THE REP WAS PRESENT AND THE RELOADS WERE INSERTED PROPERLY EACH TIME. THIS HAPPENED WITH TWO SEPARATE RELOADS. IT WAS NOT THE SAME RELOAD EACH TIME. THE DEVICE WAS WITHDRAWN AND THE RELOADS WERE PLACED BACK INTO THE JAWS. THERE WERE NO PATIENT CONSEQUENCES. UNKNOWN HOW CASE WAS COMPLETED.
Devices
| Seq | Brand | Generic | Product Code | Manufacturer | Model | Lot | UDI-DI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ECHELON*FLEX45 | STAPLE, IMPLANTABLE | GDW | ETHICON ENDO-SURGERY, LLC. | UNK |
Patients
| Seq | Age | Sex | Outcome | Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |