Defibrillator patients ask doctors about Medtronic failures
People with Medtronic defibrillators got a jolt this week when the company decided to stop distributing the wires that connect the devices to patients' hearts.
Fridley-based Medtronic says a small number of those wires have fractured and may have led to the deaths of five patients. The wires in question have been implanted in over a quarter-million people worldwide. The company estimates 2.3 percent of those patients will experience unnecessary shocks as a result of fractured wires.
MPR's Tom Crann talked to Dr. Steve Hustead, who implants a lot of Medtronic's defibrillation devices and he has been hearing from patients this week.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.