Guidant
Virtus Plus II Pacemaker
FREE Case Review
Guidant Corporation recalled a number of their popular VIRTUS PLUS II pacemakers on July 19, 2005 because of a possible manufacturing defect that could endanger the lives of the patients who depend on them. The VIRTUS PLUS II belongs to a group of 18,000 devices manufactured between 1997 and 2000 that may suffer from a defective seal that prevents moisture from entering the unit. Should this seal fail moisture from the body may damage the vital electronic parts necessary for the device to function. 69 incidents of failure have already been established in this group of pacemakers, and even one fatality is speculated to have been caused by malfunction although that link is still under investigation. The Virtus Plus II models that have been affected include:
- Guidant Virtus Plus II 1380
- Guidant Virtus Plus II 1480
Pacemakers help the body regulate heartbeat in patients who have weak or injured hearts, so a failure in these devices is a medical emergency. Without regular, steady heartbeats tissues throughout the body fail to receive enough oxygen to survive which in turn causes faintness, shortness of breath, dizziness, and even irregular heartbeats. Patients with VIRTUS PLUS II pacemakers who feel these conditions should not hesitate to contact their doctors immediately, for these symptoms may be early indications of pacemaker failure.
Preserving your health should be your primary goal, but almost as important is making corporations take responsibility for the dangerous products they provide the public. Pacemakers are so critically important that there can be no margin for error, so victims of failure must make a stand to ensure that future generations will not have to live in fear that their lifesaving devices may fail when they need them most. Make your stand, and contact us today. Let us help you.
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