Medtronic Heart Device Injuries Up Dramatically In Past Year

-TradingMarkets.com

10/16/2007- Consumer group Public Citizen has said that the tiny wires used with Medtronic Inc.'s implantable heart devices have jumped dramatically in the past year.

The news comes a day after the wires were recalled for possible links to five deaths.

The Food and Drug Administration has received reports of 1,194 patient injuries in the first 10 months of 2007, compared with 296 in the same period in 2006. Public Citizen has said that jump in numbers of patient injuries, and an even greater increase in reports of inappropriate patient shock, was apparent in the first few months of 2007.

On Monday, Medtronic halted sales of the Sprint Fidelis line of "leads," the wires that link the heart to an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, or ICD, a life-saving device that can shock a racing heartbeat back to normal rhythm. The company cited as reason for the suspension five patient deaths where fracture of the tiny wires may have been a possible or likely contributing factor. The FDA said that the risk of lead fractures is small, less than one percent of those implanted. Shares of Medtronic fell 30 cents to close at $50.30.

Ennis & Ennis, P.A. is representing individuals that have been harmed defective medical devices such as the Medtronic defibrillator and pacemaker. If you or a loved one have suffered as a result of a defective Medtronic pacemaker or defibrillator or if you need more information about the Medtronic recall or class action lawsuit click here for a free, confidential case evaluation.