HEARTWARE® VENTRICULAR ASSIST SYSTEM
Report
- Report Number
- 3007042319-2014-01144
- Event Type
- Malfunction
- Date Received
- October 24, 2014
- Date of Event
- July 1, 2014
- Report Date
- September 24, 2014
- Manufacturer
- HEARTWARE, INC
- Product Code
- DSQ
- PMA / PMN Number
- P100047
- Removal / Correction Number
- Z-1607-2014
- Product Problem
- Yes
- Report Source
- Manufacturer report
- Reporter Location
- EZ
- Reporter Occupation
- OTHER
Narratives
THE HVAD REMAINS IMPLANTED IN THE PATIENT, THEREFORE IT WILL NOT BE RETURNED. HOWEVER, THE BATTERY ((B)(4)) HAS BEEN RECEIVED AND IS AWAITING FURTHER ANALYSIS. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL BE SUBMITTED WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS OF RECEIPT. PRODUCT REMAINS IMPLANTED.
THE HEARTWARE VAD IS USED FOR TREATMENT NOT DIAGNOSIS. ONE BATTERY ((B)(4)) WAS RETURNED FOR EVALUATION. VARIOUS ANALYSES WERE CONDUCTED AND REVIEWED IN ORDER TO EVALUATE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE DEVICE IN RELATION TO THE REPORTED EVENT. THOROUGH EXTERNAL VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE DEVICE REVEALED NO SIGNS OF PHYSICAL DAMAGE OR CONTAMINATION. ANALYSIS OF THE DEVICE REVEALED THAT THE BATTERY MET SPECIFICATIONS; THE BATTERY PASSED VISUAL INSPECTION AND FUNCTIONAL TESTING. THE REPORTED EVENT WAS CONFIRMED VIA REVIEW OF THE CONTROLLER LOG FILES, WHICH REVEALED PREMATURE POWER SWITCHING EVENTS. APPLICABLE RISK DOCUMENTATION AND EXPERIENCE WITH EVENTS OF SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES WERE CONSIDERED; EVENTS WITH PREMATURE POWER SWITCHING OF SCREENED BATTERIES ARE MOST OFTEN ATTRIBUTED TO A COMMUNICATION ERROR BETWEEN THE CONTROLLER AND BATTERY. THE MOST LIKELY ROOT CAUSE IS A COMMUNICATION ERROR BETWEEN THE CONTROLLER AND BATTERY. THERE ARE NO KNOWN CLINICAL OR USER RELATED FACTORS THAT COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EVENT. THE MANUFACTURER HAS OPENED AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION TO EVALUATE THESE TYPES OF ISSUES. ON APRIL 30, 2014, HEARTWARE ISSUED A FIELD SAFETY NOTICE (FSCA APR2014) AND PATIENT LETTER TO PHYSICIANS; THE SITES DELIVERED THE LETTER TO PATIENTS CURRENTLY ON DEVICE. THE FIELD SAFETY NOTICE AND PATIENT LETTER WERE INTENDED TO ENABLE PATIENTS TO RECOGNIZE ABNORMALLY BEHAVING BATTERIES AND TO SPECIFY ACTIONS TO TAKE WHEN A BATTERY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE COMMUNICATIONS OUTLINED GENERAL POWER MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS AND FOCUSED ON RECOGNIZING THE ALARMS AND MESSAGE DISPLAYS RELATED TO THE SPECIFIC FAILURE MODES. INSTRUCTIONS WERE GIVEN IN THE FIELD SAFETY NOTICE TO PROVIDE ADVICE TO PATIENTS AND SITES ON HOW TO RESPOND IN THE EVENT OF PREMATURE BATTERY SWITCHING, RAPID CAPACITY CHANGE, OR RAPID SWITCHING BACK AND FORTH. ADDITIONALLY, FSCA APR2015A WAS ISSUED AS A VOLUNTARY "URGENT MEDICAL DEVICE CORRECTION"; COMMUNICATION WAS ISSUED TO THE SITES AND PATIENTS WITHIN THE UNITED STATES ON MAY 11, 2015. AN "URGENT FIELD SAFETY NOTICE" WAS SENT TO SITES AND PATIENTS NOT WITHIN THE UNITED STATES ON MAY 14, 2015. THE VENTRICULAR ASSIST SYSTEM IS INDICATED FOR USE AS A BRIDGE TO CARDIAC TRANSPLANTATION IN PATIENTS WHO ARE AT RISK OF DEATH FROM REFRACTORY END-STAGE LEFT VENTRICULAR HEART FAILURE. THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED FOR IN-HOSPITAL AND OUT-OF-HOSPITAL SETTINGS, INCLUDING TRANSPORTATION. PER THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE (IFU): PATIENTS ARE INSTRUCTED TO ALWAYS KEEP A SPARE SET OF FULLY CHARGED BATTERIES AND A BACK-UP CONTROLLER AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES, BEYOND THE TWO (2) POWER SOURCES THAT ARE CURRENTLY CONNECTED TO THE PRIMARY CONTROLLER. HEARTWARE WILL SUBMIT A SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT WHEN NEW FACTS ARISES WHICH MATERIALLY ALTERS INFORMATION SUBMITTED IN A PREVIOUS MDR REPORT. HEARTWARE IS SUBMITTING THIS REPORT AS A RESULT OF REMEDIATION ACTIVITIES RELATED TO FDA WARNING LETTER FLA-14-14, DATED JUNE 2, 2014, AND PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF 21 CFR PART 803.
APPROXIMATELY ONE AND HALF MONTHS POST HVAD IMPLANTATION, IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE PATIENT EXPERIENCED PREMATURE POWER SWITCHING FROM ONE PORT OF THE CONTROLLER TO THE OTHER. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND RETURNED TO HEARTWARE FOR EVALUATION. THERE WAS NO REPORTED PATIENT INJURY AS A RESULT OF THIS EVENT; THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED WITH THE REPLACEMENT BATTERY. THE RETURNED BATTERY PASSED VISUAL INSPECTION AND FUNCTIONAL TESTING. INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.
Devices
| Seq | Brand | Generic | Product Code | Manufacturer | Model | Lot | UDI-DI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 679696 | HEARTWARE® VENTRICULAR ASSIST SYSTEM | CIRCULATORY ASSIST SYSTEM | DSQ | HEARTWARE, INC |
Patients
| Seq | Age | Sex | Outcome | Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (B)(4)_BATTERY |