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Medical device recalls: February 2019

The FDA posted 99 medical device recall records in February 2019, from 15 recall events by 15 companies. 24 are Class I, the most serious category.

Each product in a recall gets its own record, so one recall event can cover several records. What recall classes mean.

Companies with the most recall events

  1. Philips Medical Systems Nederlands · 1 event, 64 records
  2. Medex Cardio-Pulmonary Inc., d.b.a. Smiths Medical Company · 1 event, 13 records, 13 Class I
  3. Medtronic Inc., Cardiac Rhythm and Heart Failure (CRHF) · 1 event, 7 records, 7 Class I
  4. Zimmer Biomet Spine Inc. · 1 event, 3 records
  5. Physio-Control Inc · 1 event, 2 records, 2 Class I
  6. Alcon Research Laboratories Ltd. · 1 event, 1 record
  7. Arjohuntleigh Magog · 1 event, 1 record
  8. Bard Medical Division · 1 event, 1 record

FDA root cause

  1. Unknown/Undetermined by firm · 64
  2. Process control · 13
  3. Component design/selection · 8
  4. Nonconforming Material/Component · 4
  5. Device Design · 4
  6. Software design · 3
  7. Under Investigation by firm · 2
  8. Vendor change control · 1

Class I recalls (24)

The most serious: a reasonable probability that using the device will cause serious health problems or death.

Class II recalls (73)

The device may cause temporary or medically reversible health problems, or the chance of serious harm is remote.

Class III recalls (2)

Using the device is not likely to cause health problems, but it violates FDA rules.

Source: FDA Medical Device Recalls and FDA enforcement reports (recall class), via openFDA. Records are grouped by the date the FDA posted them. Methodology · Not medical advice.