Description of Event or Problem · 1
COMPLAINANT'S HUSBAND DIED AFTER A MEDTRONIC INTERNAL DEFIBRILLATOR, KEPT SHOCKING HIM OVER AND OVER AND THEN STARTED BURNING IN HIS CHEST. HE WAS OUT IN HIS YARD WHEN THE DEVICE STARTED REPEATEDLY SHOCKING HIM. HE TRIED CALLING HIS WIFE ON THE CELL PHONE, BUT SHE DIDN'T ANSWER. HE MADE HIS WAY TO THE PATIO DOOR AND STARTED BEATING ON IT. WHEN HIS WIFE ANSWERED, HE TOLD HER THEY NEEDED TO HEAD TO THE ER "NOW" BECAUSE "THIS THING IS GOING OFF." THEY GOT INTO THE CAR AND IMMEDIATELY SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. HE MENTIONED TO WIFE, "CAN YOU SMELL THAT" TO WHICH SHE REPLIED, "WHAT IS IT," AND HE REPLIED, "IT'S THIS THING BURNING IN HERE" AND POINTED TO HIS CHEST. EACH TIME HE RECEIVED ANOTHER SHOCK, HE WOULD YELL AT HER TO DRIVE FASTER. THE LAST TIME CONPLAINANT LOOKED AT THE SPEEDOMETER, SHE WAS DOING 105 MPH. NORMALLY, A TRIP TO THE ER IS A 15 MIN DRIVE, SHE CAN'T REMEMBER HOW LONG THIS DRIVE TOOK HER. SHE STATED THAT HER HUSBAND KEPT RECEIVING SHOCK AFTER SHOCK AND THE BURNING SMELL GOT WORSE. HE TOLD HER THAT HE DIDN'T THINK HE WAS GOING TO MAKE IT AND LOST CONSCIOUSNESS AS THEY WERE PULLING INTO THE ER DRIVE. THE DRS IN THE ER WORKED ON HIM FOR OVER 30 MINS, BUT COULD NOT REVIVE HIM. HE HAD BEEN FEELING WELL ALL MORNING. THIS DEVICE WAS IMPLANTED IN 2002, WHEN HIS ORIGINAL DEFIBRILLATOR WAS REPLACED. HE HAD THE FIRST DEVICE FOR 6 YRS, AND HAD IT REMOVED BECAUSE THE LEADS WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY BECAUSE IT SHOCKED HIM 3 TIMES IN A ROW. WENT TO ER, AND THEY DEACTIVATED IT. WENT TO CARDIOLOGIST AND THEY DECIDED TO REPLACE THE UNIT AND THE LEADS. THE FIRST DEFIBRILLATOR IMPLANTED IN 1996, WAS ALSO A MEDTRONIC ICD, MODEL #7221CX, CORONER REMOVED THE DEVICE AND THE AUTOPSY WAS DONE. THE DEVICE WAS CHECKED EVERY MONTH VIA PHONE. HE DIED AND WAS TO HAVE IT CHECKED ON THE NEXT DAY.