The U.S. Supreme Court has reinstated thousands of lawsuits filed on behalf of individuals who have developed infections and other serious medical complications from 3M’s Bair Hugger surgical warming blanket.
This website is a clearinghouse for publicly available court records, medical studies and the latest updates about the litigation.
The Bair Hugger system is a portable heater/blower that pushes heated air through a flexible hose to a blanket to regulate the body temperature of patients before and during surgery. Heated air from the device is known to escape from the surgical drape and rise – like a hot air balloon – spreading harmful bacteria.
Numerous medical studies and independent research have documented a significant increase in infection risk for exposure to dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). According to internal 3M records and sworn testimony from its own experts, 3M has long known about these design flaws and safety risks.
In addition to the risks of serious infection and medical complications, the costs of these infections and surgeries are high: upwards of $90,000 per infected joint, according to an analysis published in JAMA Surgery by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2017.
Number of patients who have used the Bair Hugger device since 1987
Number of units installed in hospitals and operating rooms in the U.S.
Global patient warming market value
“There is amazing concern about any particulates in the air during joint replacement surgery and almost uniform comment that [force-air warming] increases particulates in the air.”
(Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday let stand an appellate ruling that revived nearly 6,000 lawsuits over 3M’s Bair Hugger surgical warming device, clearing the
3M Co. is battling lawsuits from more than 50 orthopedic surgery patients who say the company’s popular “Bair Hugger” warming blankets, used to keep people
3M Co. faces nearly 6,000 reinstated lawsuits by patients alleging they developed severe infections from the Bair Hugger warming system used during joint replacement surgeries, following
Thousands of lawsuits filed across the U.S. are consolidated in multidistrict litigation in Minnesota federal court, and trials are ongoing. According to sworn testimony and documents obtained through discovery, 3M has been aware of the safety concerns associated with forced-air warming technology for many years. Instead of warning doctors and medical facilities about the risks, 3M has aggressively marketed the device, which is now in wide use on hospitals and operating facilities through the U.S.
“We can say with certainty that the Bair Hugger is contributing airborne microbes into the air.”
“Avoid putting things in writing or email!”
Medical studies have confirmed that forced-air warming systems like the Bair Hugger increase the risk of serious infections during surgery, including articles published in the
For example, a study published in the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery reported a near four-fold increase in infections when devices like the Bair Hugger are used in operating rooms.
Click the headlines to view the documents
Infections that occur during surgery can cause serious medical complications, including septic arthritis. In some cases, a patient may need surgery to remove the implant and the infection. In rare cases, the infection can result in amputation.
If you have experienced medical complications after a surgical procedure in which a Bair Hugger blanket was used, you may be entitled to compensation.
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