FDA Adverse Event Injury Summary report: N

2520274-2013-03841

MDR report key: 3191438 · Received June 26, 2013

Report

Report Number
2520274-2013-03841
Event Type
Injury
Date Received
June 26, 2013
Report Date
May 28, 2013
Manufacturer
SYNTHES (USA)
Product Code
HWC
Adverse Event
Yes
Report Source
Manufacturer report
Reporter Location
PA, US
Reporter Occupation
OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL

Narratives

Additional Manufacturer Narrative · 1

THIS DEVICE IS USED FOR TREATMENT, NOT DIAGNOSIS. THIS REPORT IS FOR AN UNKNOWN QUANTITY OF SCREWS WITH AN UNKNOWN CATALOG #. ADDITIONAL PRODUCT CODE - DZL. INVESTIGATION COULD NOT BE COMPLETED, NO CONCLUSION COULD BE DRAWN AS NO DEVICE WAS RETURNED AND A LOT NUMBER AND A CATALOG NUMBER WAS NOT PROVIDED.

Additional Manufacturer Narrative · 1

THIS DEVICE USED FOR TREATMENT AND NOT DIAGNOSIS. AGE SHOULD BE (B)(6).

Additional Manufacturer Narrative · 1

DEVICE WAS USED FOR TREATMENT, NOT DIAGNOSIS. THE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT EVENT EVALUATION REPORTS FROM A DESIGN EVALUATION THAT THE VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE TWO RETURNED PARTS SHOWED THAT THE TANGS ON THE WORKING END OF THE SPIRAL BLADE INSERTER 358.696 WERE BENT OUTWARD. IT IS NOT CLEAR FROM THE INFORMATION SUPPLIED IN THE COMPLAINT WHAT CAUSED THE TANGS TO BEND. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THEY WERE BENT PRIOR TO THE SURGERY WHERE THE EVENT TOOK PLACE. BECAUSE THE TANGS WERE BENT OUTWARDS, IT EFFECTIVELY INCREASED THE OUTER DIAMETER OF THE SPIRAL BLADE INSERTER. THIS IS ULTIMATELY WHAT CAUSED THE SHAFT OF THE INSTRUMENT NOT TO PASS THROUGH THE HOLE IN THE AIMING ARM. A REVIEW OF THE RISK ANALYSIS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PART SHOWED THAT THIS RISK WAS CAPTURED WITH A SEVERITY OF HARM OF 3 AND A RATE OF OCCURRENCE OF 2. AS DESCRIBED IN THIS COMPLAINT THE RESULT OF THE DESCRIBED EVENT WAS AN INCREASE IN SURGERY TIME OF 15-20 MINUTES. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE SEVERITY LEVEL OF 3 AS DEFINED IN THE MOST RECENT VERSION OF THE RISK ANALYSIS. A REVIEW OF THE COMPLAINT HISTORY INDICATED THAT THERE HAS ONLY BEEN 1 OTHER COMPLAINT SIMILAR TO THIS ONE IN THE LAST 5 YEARS MEANING THAT THERE HAVE BEEN A TOTAL OF 2 OCCURRENCES IN THE LAST 5 YEARS. OVER THE LAST YEAR SYNTHES HAS (B)(4). THE RISK ANALYSIS FOR THE INSERTER WAS REVIEWED AND THIS EVENT WAS ADEQUATELY CAPTURED. IT IS CLEAR BY LOOKING AT THE WORKING END OF THE INSERTER THAT THE TANGS WERE BENT OUTWARD EFFECTIVELY INCREASING THE OUTER DIAMETER OF THE INSERTER. THIS IS WHAT ULTIMATELY CAUSED THE INSERTER NOT TO FIT IN THE AIMING ARM. IT IS NOT AT ALL CLEAR WHAT CAUSED THE TANGS TO BEND AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THEY WERE BENT PRIOR TO THE SURGICAL PROCEDURE. OVERALL, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT THE DESIGN OF THIS PRODUCT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS COMPLAINT; THEREFORE, IT¿S DISPOSITION IS DEEMED INVALID FROM A DESIGN STANDPOINT.

Description of Event or Problem · 1

PATIENT WAS IMPLANTED WITH 8-HOLE LCP PLATE AND SCREWS ON (B)(6) 2013 FOR HUMERAL FRACTURE FROM A FALL ON AN UNKNOWN DATE. APPROXIMATELY 2-1/2 TO 3 WEEKS POST-OP, THE PATIENT FELL AGAIN, AND REFRACTURED THE SAME HUMERUS ADJACENT TO THE PREVIOUS PLATE AND SCREW FIXATION. PATIENT WAS RETURNED TO THE O.R. ON (B)(6) 2013. THE SURGEON REMOVED THE PLATE AND SCREWS WHICH WERE INTACT, AND IMPLANTED A HUMERAL NAIL-EX WITH SPIRAL BLADE. DURING THE REVISION SURGERY, THE AIMING ARM AND THE INSERTION HANDLE FOR THE SPIRAL BLADE WOULD NOT FIT TOGETHER PROPERLY. SURGEON PROCEEDED BY INSERTING THE SPIRAL BLADE BY HAND, WITHOUT USING THE INSERTION HANDLE INSTRUMENT. THE PROCEDURE WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROBLEM. THERE WAS A 15-20 MINUTE DELAY TO THE PROCEDURE. THIS IS 4 OF 4 REPORTS FOR THE SAME EVENT, COMPLAINT # (B)(4).

Devices

Seq Brand Generic Product Code Manufacturer Model Lot UDI-DI
289992 HWC SYNTHES (USA)

Patients

Seq Age Sex Outcome Treatment
1 80 YR Required Intervention