ERBE FLEXIBLE CRYOPROBE
Report
- Report Number
- 9610614-2025-00089
- Event Type
- Malfunction
- Date Received
- December 17, 2025
- Date of Event
- November 24, 2025
- Report Date
- December 19, 2025
- Manufacturer
- ERBE ELEKTROMEDIZIN GMBH
- Product Code
- GEH
- PMA / PMN Number
- K190651
- Product Problem
- Yes
- Report Source
- Manufacturer report
- Reporter Location
- OR, US
- Reporter Occupation
- NURSE
- Health Professional
- Yes
Narratives
THE CRYOPROBE WAS EVALUATED BY ERBE USA ON 2025-12-15. THE VISUAL EXAMINATION REVEALED A SLIT OR CUT IN THE WHITE TUBING APPROXIMATELY 1.7CM LONG AND LOCATED 78.4CM FROM THE DISTAL END OF THE WHITE TUBING. THEN AT THE DIRECTION OF THE MANUFACTURER, ERBE ELEKTROMEDIZIN GMBH (ERBE GERMANY), THE CRYOPROBE'S CONNECTOR SECTION WAS DISASSEMBLED AS INSTRUCTED. GLUE BETWEEN THE CONNECTOR AND THE CLEAR PLASTIC TUBING ON THE HIGH-PRESSURE SIDE OF THE CRYOPROBE WAS FOUND TO BE INSUFFICIENT. THE HIGH-PRESSURE TUBING WAS ALSO PUSHED OUT OF THE CONNECTOR AND THE BLUE O-RING WAS STILL PRESENT. NO ANOMALIES WERE FOUND IN THE REVIEW OF THE DEVICE HISTORY RECORD (DHR) FOR THE LOT OF THE CRYOPROBE. ASSESSMENT BY ERBE GERMANY ERBE HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF ISOLATED CASES WHERE THE OUTER WHITE TUBING OF CRYOPROBES RUPTURE. AFTER A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION, IT HAS BEEN CONCLUDED THAT A VERY LOW NUMBER OF ISOLATED INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED INVOLVING THE REPORTED FAILURE MODE. MORE SPECIFICALLY, LESS THAN 0.1% OF CRYOPROBES MANUFACTURED DURING THE TIMEFRAME WHICH THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED HAVE RUPTURED. IN THESE RARE CASES, THE FIXATION OF THE GAS INLET INSIDE THE PROBE CONNECTOR HAD LOOSENED, ALLOWING GAS TO FLOW INTO THE RETURN LINE. SINCE THE RETURN LINE IS NOT DESIGNED FOR THIS VOLUME OF GAS, THE TUBING COULD RUPTURE. SINCE DISCOVERING THE ISSUE, THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS HAS BEEN IMPROVED BY STABILIZING THE ADHESIVE APPLICATION AND ADDING ADDITIONAL INSPECTION STEPS, INCLUDING A CAMERA-BASED PROCESS TO MONITOR THE GLUING OF EACH CRYOPROBE. ALL OF THESE MEASURES HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED TO MINIMIZE/ELIMINATE THE ISSUE. THE CUSTOMER IS BEING MADE AWARE OF THE FINDINGS. ERBE USA, INC. IS CLOSING THE FILE ON THIS EVENT.
THE CRYOPROBE WAS EVALUATED BY ERBE USA ON 2025-12-15. THE VISUAL EXAMINATION REVEALED A SLIT OR CUT IN THE WHITE TUBING APPROXIMATELY 1.7CM LONG AND LOCATED 78.4CM FROM THE DISTAL END OF THE WHITE TUBING. THEN AT THE DIRECTION OF THE MANUFACTURER, ERBE ELEKTROMEDIZIN GMBH (ERBE GERMANY), THE CRYOPROBE'S CONNECTOR SECTION WAS DISASSEMBLED AS INSTRUCTED. GLUE BETWEEN THE CONNECTOR AND THE CLEAR PLASTIC TUBING ON THE HIGH-PRESSURE SIDE OF THE CRYOPROBE WAS FOUND TO BE INSUFFICIENT. THE HIGH-PRESSURE TUBING WAS ALSO PUSHED OUT OF THE CONNECTOR AND THE BLUE O-RING WAS STILL PRESENT. NO ANOMALIES WERE FOUND IN THE REVIEW OF THE DEVICE HISTORY RECORD (DHR) FOR THE LOT OF THE CRYOPROBE. ASSESSMENT BY ERBE GERMANY. ERBE HAS BEEN MADE AWARE OF ISOLATED CASES WHERE THE OUTER WHITE TUBING OF CRYOPROBES RUPTURE. AFTER A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION, IT HAS BEEN CONCLUDED THAT A VERY LOW NUMBER OF ISOLATED INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED INVOLVING THE REPORTED FAILURE MODE. MORE SPECIFICALLY, (B)(4) OF CRYOPROBES MANUFACTURED DURING THE TIMEFRAME WHICH THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED HAVE RUPTURED. IN THESE RARE CASES, THE FIXATION OF THE GAS INLET INSIDE THE PROBE CONNECTOR HAD LOOSENED, ALLOWING GAS TO FLOW INTO THE RETURN LINE. SINCE THE RETURN LINE IS NOT DESIGNED FOR THIS VOLUME OF GAS, THE TUBING COULD RUPTURE. SINCE DISCOVERING THE ISSUE, THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS HAS BEEN IMPROVED BY STABILIZING THE ADHESIVE APPLICATION AND ADDING ADDITIONAL INSPECTION STEPS, INCLUDING A CAMERA-BASED PROCESS TO MONITOR THE GLUING OF EACH CRYOPROBE. ALL OF THESE MEASURES HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED TO MINIMIZE/ELIMINATE THE ISSUE. THE CUSTOMER IS BEING MADE AWARE OF THE FINDINGS. ERBE USA, INC. IS CLOSING THE FILE ON THIS EVENT.
IT WAS REPORTED THAT AN INCIDENT OCCURRED WITH A FLEXIBLE CRYOPROBE DURING A LUNG CRYOBIOPSY. THE CRYOPROBE WAS USED WITH AN ERBE CRYOSURGICAL UNIT (MODEL ERBECRYO 2, PART NUMBER: 10402-000, SERIAL NUMBER: NOT PROVIDED) AND AN ION ROBOT. NO OTHER INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED REGARDING ANY OTHER ACCESSORY EMPLOYED DURING THE INCIDENT. THE CRYOSURGICAL UNIT'S SETTING WAS EFFECT 1. PER THE COMPLAINANT, THE "CRYOPROBE FAILED (WHITE ASPECT SPLIT OPEN UPON ACTIVATION), THIS ACCOMPANIED A LOUD BANG." THERE WAS NO REPORT OF ANY USER OR PATIENT INJURY.
IT WAS REPORTED THAT AN INCIDENT OCCURRED WITH A FLEXIBLE CRYOPROBE DURING A LUNG CRYOBIOPSY. THE CRYOPROBE WAS USED WITH AN ERBE CRYOSURGICAL UNIT (MODEL ERBECRYO 2, PART NUMBER: 10402-000, SERIAL NUMBER: NOT PROVIDED) AND AN ION ROBOT. NO OTHER INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED REGARDING ANY OTHER ACCESSORY EMPLOYED DURING THE INCIDENT. THE CRYOSURGICAL UNIT'S SETTING WAS EFFECT 1. PER THE COMPLAINANT, THE "CRYOPROBE FAILED (WHITE ASPECT SPLIT OPEN UPON ACTIVATION), THIS ACCOMPANIED A LOUD BANG". THERE WAS NO REPORT OF ANY USER OR PATIENT INJURY.
Devices
| Seq | Brand | Generic | Product Code | Manufacturer | Model | Lot | UDI-DI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2336065 | ERBE FLEXIBLE CRYOPROBE | CRYOPROBE | GEH | ERBE ELEKTROMEDIZIN GMBH | WO462376 |
Patients
| Seq | Age | Sex | Outcome | Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 50 YR | Unknown |