Draeger Recalls Carina Sub-Acute Care Ventilators for Contaminants in Airpath

The Carina Sub-Acute Care Ventilator was recently recalled in a Class I recall, which is the most significant kind of recall. With a Class I recall, it has been found that using the product could cause severe injuries or death. The manufacturer of the Carina ventilator, Draeger Medical, is voluntarily correcting the product. Adult patients can continue to use the device, but health care providers are not supposed to use these devices with their pediatric patients. If you were injured by a Carina Sub-Acute Care ventilator, please call the experienced Chicago-based product liability lawyers of Moll Law Group. We represent clients around the country and billions have been recovered in lawsuits with which we’ve been involved.

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Hospital providers use the Carina Sub-Acute Care Ventilator to help people who need assistance to breathe. This type of ventilator can be used for invasive ventilation through the trachea or for noninvasive ventilation that makes use of a mask. Draeger has recalled the ventilator because contaminants, polyether polyurethane (PE-PUR), are produced in the airpath of the device. This can cause a potential carcinogen, contaminant 1,3-Dichloropropan-2-ol, to be released. The contaminants go beyond the appropriate levels when patients who are children or infants use it for over a month.

Pediatric patients may experience severe health conditions as a result of exposure to the chemicals including death and toxic responses such as irritation, hypersensitivity, nausea, vomiting, and carcinogenic impacts. No deaths, complaints, or incidents have been reported in connection with the emission of contamination so far, but it’s still important to be alert to the issue and to seek remedies when appropriate.

Draeger sent a notice to customers recommending that adult patients users continue to use the ventilator until they modify it so long as the set minute volume is greater than 3.6 l/min and an inline bacterial filter is used. The only version that should be used is the Draeger ventilation hose with a leak valve. The company plans to make the newly designed blower cover available in the fourth quarter of 2023. A representative is supposed to contact customers to schedule a time for them to update the ventilators and the company estimates that this process will take 8 months from the time the blower cover is made available to customers. After that, the ventilator can be used the way it was before without any limitations to its function.

If you or your child were injured as a result of the ventilator, you may be wondering what your recourse might be. You may have a product liability claim against Draeger. Product liability lawsuits can be brought in connection with design, manufacturing, or marketing defects. Each state has its own rules about how these may be proven, and what theories of recovery may be asserted in a lawsuit. Some of the potential theories of recovery include negligence, strict liability, breach of warranty, and breach of contract.

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If you or your child suffered injuries or death due to the Carina Sub-Acute Care Ventilator, you should call a seasoned Chicago-based product liability attorney. Consult Moll Law Group to see whether you have a claim. We represent injured consumers across the nation. Please complete our 400online form or call us at 312.462.1700.