Harmonic Focus HAR9FRecalls & reported problems
Ethicon Endo-Surgery, LLC · Harmonic Focus Shears 9cm length + Adaptive Tissue Technology For Use With BLUE Hand Piece Only · Class U
Quick summary
This Ethicon Harmonic Focus is an ultrasonic surgical shears used to cut and seal tissue. Its 377 reports often describe pads peeling or separating, blades or pads breaking, and delayed or failed activation. The reports include 41 injuries and 1 death. Reports fell from 41 in the previous 12 months to 24 in the last 12 months. No recalls name this device.
AI-generated from the FDA records on this page and checked automatically against the numbers below. Read the details before relying on it.
- Adverse event reports
- 371
- Deaths reported
- 1
- Injuries reported
- 42
- Recalls naming it
- 0
Summary
The FDA's MAUDE database contains 371 adverse event reports that list this exact device (DI 10705036014669), received between Nov 30, 2017 and Sep 21, 2026 — classified as 1 death, 42 injuries, 328 malfunctions.
The most frequently reported specific device problem is “Material Separation” (120 reports).
Reports come from manufacturers, hospitals and patients and are not verified by the FDA. A report does not prove the device caused the event, and counts can't be used to compare devices or estimate failure rates. How this data works · Data updated Oct 13, 2026.
Reports received per month
Most reported problems
Device problems
- Material Separation120
- Break49
- Failure to Read Input Signal43
- Detachment of Device or Device Component36
- Difficult or Delayed Activation26
- Adverse Event Without Identified Device or Use Problem22
- Activation, Positioning or Separation Problem18
- Activation Problem15
Patient problems
- No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions217
- No Consequences Or Impact To Patient107
- No Code Available13
- Hemorrhage/Blood Loss/Bleeding10
- Blood Loss9
- Insufficient Information8
- Hematoma7
- Burn(s)6
Recent adverse event reports
The 25 most recent of 371 reports, in the reporter's own words as published by the FDA.
MalfunctionSep 21, 2026Detachment of Device or Device Component
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 50841901 ↗InjuryAug 6, 2026Activation, Positioning or Separation Problem; Adverse Event Without Identified Device or Use Problem
It was reported that during a thyroidectomy procedure, during usage, surgeon had complained that the device was not coagulating tissue well and ineffective in its function. Surgeon then decided to use another device to complete the surgery. Upon surgery completion, the patient was extubated. Upon extubating the patient, there was a bleeding incident originating from the surgical site. Decision was made to re-open the surgical site and investigate. Surgeon noticed that the bleeding was originated from the strep muscle and made a deduction that the bleeding was due to the HAR9F ineffectively sealing the strep muscle during the initial stage of surgery. Bleeding was controlled and patient was managed.
Patient problems: Hemorrhage/Blood Loss/Bleeding
MAUDE report 50165115 ↗MalfunctionJun 22, 2026Material Separation; Failure to Read Input Signal
IT WAS REPORTED THAT, DURING AN UNKNOWN DENTAL AND ORAL SURGERY, THE BLADE WAS BROKEN. THE DETAILS OF THE ERROR ARE UNKNOWN. NO PIECES WERE LEFT INSIDE THE PATIENT. ANOTHER DEVICE WAS USED TO COMPLETE THE CASE. THERE WERE NO ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES TO THE PATIENT. NO FURTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 25576586 ↗InjuryJun 5, 2026Adverse Event Without Identified Device or Use Problem; Patient Device Interaction Problem
IT WAS REPORTED BY THE SALES REP THAT, AFTER AN UNKNOWN ENT (EYES, NOSE, AND THROAT) SURGERY, POSTOPERATIVE BLEEDING OCCURRED, AND UPON PERFORMING REOPERATION, TREATMENT WAS PERFORMED. THE PATIENT HAS RECOVERED WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS SINCE THE REOPERATION. THE SURGEON BELIEVES THE CAUSE OF THIS EVENT IS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE INSTRUMENT, BUT RATHER THE ISSUE WAS IDENTIFIED AS BEING ON THE USER'S END. NO FURTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.
Patient problems: Hemorrhage/Blood Loss/Bleeding
MAUDE report 25415673 ↗MalfunctionJun 4, 2026Failure to Read Input Signal
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING AN UNKNOWN PROCEDURE THERE WAS A MESSAGE THAT THERE WERE PRESSURE LOT.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 25394375 ↗MalfunctionMay 26, 2026Difficult or Delayed Activation
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING A THYROIDECTOMY PROCEDURE, THE INITIAL DEVICE FAILED TO FUNCTION UPON FIRST USE. A SECOND DEVICE WAS OPENED AND UTILIZED; HOWEVER, IT CEASED FUNCTIONING APPROXIMATELY HALFWAY THROUGH THE CASE. THERE WERE NO PATIENT CONSEQUENCES OR ADVERSE OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEVICE FAILURES.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 25279851 ↗MalfunctionMay 14, 2026Material Separation
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING A NECK MASS EXCISION, THE SURGEON MENTIONED THAT THE DEVICE "DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT." WHILE SHE WAS WORKING, THE BLADE BROKE, THIS WAS RECOVERED. THERE WAS NO PATIENT CONSEQUENCE REPORTED.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 25171353 ↗MalfunctionApr 28, 2026Material Integrity Problem
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING AN UNKNOWN PROCEDURE THE DEVICE TIP FRACTURE OCCURRED DURING USE.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 25017436 ↗MalfunctionApr 14, 2026Material Separation
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING AN UNKNOWN PROCEDURE THE TIP BROKE DURING USE, SO IT CANNOT BE USED. THERE WERE NO PATIENT CONSEQUENCES.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 24874699 ↗MalfunctionMar 16, 2026Material Separation
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING AN UNKNOWN PROCEDURE THE DEVICE WAS CONNECTED TO THE GEN11 AND DIRECTLY THE GEN INDICATED THE TIP/JAW WAS BROKEN. THE NEEDED TO CHANGE TO A NEW DEVICE AND THEN IT WORKED. THERE WERE NO PATIENT CONSEQUENCES.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 24605185 ↗MalfunctionFeb 6, 2026Manufacturing, Packaging or Shipping Problem
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING AN UNKNOWN PROCEDURE THE BLADE WAS RECEIVED BROKEN AT THE TIME OF OPENING THE PACKAGE OF THE PRODUCT. THE PROCEDURE WAS COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY. NO PATIENT INVOLVEMENT.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 24282237 ↗MalfunctionFeb 3, 2026Material Separation; No Apparent Adverse Event
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING A HERNIA REPAIR PROCEDURE THE TIP FELL OFF FROM THE DEVICE. NO OTHER INFORMATION PROVIDED.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 24250230 ↗MalfunctionJan 27, 2026Failure to Read Input Signal
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING AN UNKNOWN PROCEDURE THERE WAS AN ERROR MESSAGE.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 24191008 ↗MalfunctionJan 22, 2026Material Separation
IT WAS REPORTED THAT, DURING A LARYNGEAL CANCER SURGERY, THE BLADE WAS BROKEN DURING SURGERY, AND THE BROKEN BLADE WAS RETRIEVED FROM INSIDE THE PATIENT'S BODY. THE BLADE REMAINING IN THE DEVICE MATCHED THE BROKEN PART OF THE RETRIEVED BLADE. NO PIECES WERE LEFT INSIDE THE PATIENT. ANOTHER DEVICE WAS USED TO COMPLETE THE CASE. THERE WERE NO ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES TO THE PATIENT. NO FURTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 24146671 ↗MalfunctionJan 6, 2026Material Separation
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING AN UNKNOWN PROCEDURE THE UNPROTECTED TIP/JAW OF THE HANDPIECE BREAKS DURING THE PROCEDURE. THERE WAS UNCERTAINTY IN THE FUNCTIONING OF THE TIP COMPONENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCEDURE. TESTING WAS CARRIED OUT PROPERLY. RETESTING AND RESTART WERE DONE, AFTER WHICH IT WORKED NORMALLY. LATER, DURING NORMAL USE, THE TIP BROKE. FRAGMENTS WERE GENERATED BUT EASILY REMOVED WITHOUT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. A NEW HANDPIECE WAS TAKEN INTO USE. THE PROCEDURE WAS COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY. THERE WERE NO PATIENT CONSEQUENCES.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 23975777 ↗MalfunctionDec 18, 2025Material Separation; Difficult or Delayed Activation; Material Separation; Difficult or Delayed Activation
IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE SURGEON WAS USING THE HAR9F SHEARS FOR A THYROIDECTOMY CASE WHEN THE DEVICE WASN'T CUTTING THE TISSUE COMPLETELY. WHEN THE SCRUB NURSE ATTEMPTED TO CLEAN THE JAWS, THE ACTIVE BLADE BROKE IN HALF. A NEW SHEAR WAS OPENED AND THE PROCEDURE WAS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED WITHOUT ANY PATIENT CONSEQUENCES.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 23839190 ↗MalfunctionDec 8, 2025Detachment of Device or Device Component; Detachment of Device or Device Component
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING AN UNKNOWN PROCEDURE THE DEVICE WAS PLUGGED IN AS USUAL, AFTER THE FIRST ACTIVATION, THE TISSUE PAD DETACHED. SURGEON NEEDED TO REPLACED IT WITH THE NEW ONE. THERE WERE NO PATIENT CONSEQUENCES.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 23750858 ↗MalfunctionDec 1, 2025Material Separation; Failure to Read Input Signal; Material Separation; Failure to Read Input Signal
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING AN UNKNOWN PROCEDURE THERE WAS A ALERT TO DECREASE THE PRESSURE OF THE BLADE. THEN, THE BLADE WAS BROKEN. THERE WERE NO PATIENT CONSEQUENCES.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 23687266 ↗MalfunctionOct 27, 2025Material Separation; Failure to Read Input Signal; Material Separation; Failure to Read Input Signal
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING AN UNKNOWN PROCEDURE THE CLAMP WAS USED UNDER THE USUAL CONDITIONS. DURING FIRST USE, A MESSAGE IS DISPLAYED: ¿RELEASE THE PRESSURE ON THE JAWS¿. THE SURGEON PUTS TWO TURNS OF THE KEY BACK ON THE CLAMP AND RESTS IT ON THE PATIENT'S CHEST. WHEN REUSING IT, THE SURGEON FINDS THAT THE JAW IS BROKEN. CHANGING THE DEVICE FOR ANOTHER SIMILAR DEVICE. LENGTHENING THE PROCEDURE. NO PATIENT CONSEQUENCE.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 23389402 ↗MalfunctionOct 24, 2025Self-Activation or Keying; Activation Problem; Self-Activation or Keying; Activation Problem
IT WAS REPORTED THAT, DURING BREAST AND ENDOCRINE PROCEDURE, ALTHOUGH THE HAND SWITCH WAS NOT PRESSED BUT OPERATED, AND THE HAND SWITCH WAS PRESSED BUT NOT OPERATED. IT SEEMED LIKE THE BUTTON LOOKED BURIED. THE BLADE TIP WAS NOT BROKEN OFF AND NO PIECES FELL INTO THE PATIENT. ANOTHER DEVICE WAS USED TO COMPLETE THE CASE. THERE WERE NO ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES TO THE PATIENT. NO FURTHER INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 23383693 ↗MalfunctionSep 16, 2025Material Separation; Noise, Audible; Material Separation; Noise, Audible
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING A THYROIDECTOMY THE DEVICE WAS WORKING BUT HAD A DIFFERENT NOISE AND THE DOCTOR SAYS THE DEVICE WAS DAMAGED. THE SURGICAL SCRUB NURSE AGAIN DISASSEMBLES IT AND CLEANS IT AND THE TIP BROKE. THE BROKEN PIECE WAS EASILY REMOVED WITHOUT ADDITIONAL INTERVENTION. ANOTHER DEVICE WAS USED. THE PROCEDURE WAS DELAYED 5 MINUTES BUT WAS COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY. THERE WERE NO PATIENT CONSEQUENCES.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 23063550 ↗MalfunctionSep 10, 2025Detachment of Device or Device Component; Detachment of Device or Device Component
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING AN UNKNOWN PROCEDURE THE PAD ON THE SCISSORS HAS COME LOOSE. THE PATIENT DID NOT SUFFER ANY HARM AND THE OPERATION WAS CONTINUED WITH A DIFFERENT SCISSOR.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 23019542 ↗MalfunctionAug 8, 2025Detachment of Device or Device Component; Detachment of Device or Device Component
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING AN UNKNOWN PROCEDURE THE ISSUE OCCURRED WHERE THE WHITE TISSUE PAD OF THE HARMONIC TIP WAS MISSING.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 22750151 ↗MalfunctionJul 31, 2025Failure to Read Input Signal; Failure to Read Input Signal
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING AN UNKNOWN PROCEDURE AN ALERT WARNING AND DIDN'T WORK. NO PATIENT INVOLVEMENT.
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 22680669 ↗MalfunctionJul 23, 2025Insufficient Device Problem Information; Insufficient Device Problem Information
IT WAS REPORTED THAT DURING AN UNKNOWN PROCEDURE THE DEVICE WAS NOT WORKING
Patient problems: No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions
MAUDE report 22579018 ↗
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Sources: FDA GUDID, MAUDE and Medical Device Recalls via openFDA. openFDA data is not validated for clinical or regulatory use.