The major U.S. manufacturer of surgical staples is Tyco International. Many of the problems with staplers are blamed on physician error in using the devices, rather than the staplers themselves.
The use of surgical staples results in 8,000 to 9,000 reported complications very year in the United States, with many resulting in injuries or death.
Problems can occur due to staplers that fail or misfire, staples that do not form properly, separation of suture lines, and stapling devices that become stuck in patients’ tissue.
Patients often suffer bleeding, infection, or the separation of the surgical connection between internal organs and vessels.
The FDA reported receiving reports of 2,180 injuries and 112 deaths due to surgical staplers between late 1994 and July 2001. The agency also estimates that of the 8,000 to 9,000 incidents reported annually involving surgical staplers, 9 percent result in injuries and less than 1 percent in fatalities.
Serious infection can occur when blood or other body fluids leak, particularly from the stomach or bowel. Some patients injured by surgical staples were left requiring colostomies in which they had to wear an external bag to collect body waste.
It is estimated that surgical staples are used in more than 100,000 surgeries each year.
If you or someone you know suffered a serious injury or death due to use of a surgical staples, contact us today.
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