FDA Investigating Problems with Defective Medical Device Power Cords

The Food and Drug Administration is looking into more than 100 reports of sparking, charring, and fires caused by defective power cords on certain types of medical devices and hospital equipment.

Hospira Inc. and Abbott Nutrition, two manufacturers of medical devices, have had 122 reports of problems caused by defective power cords on company products, the FDA said. The companies said the metal prongs on the devices’ power cords can crack inside the plug, causing electrical shocks, fires and other problems.

In some cases, the electrical problems have resulted in delays and interruption of medical treatment and failure of the medical devices, which puts patients at increased risk of serious injury or death, the FDA said. Electrical malfunctions can be particularly dangerous in oxygen-rich environments, where the sparks can trigger devastating fires, officials cautioned.

The FDA is focusing its investigation on AC power cords with a black plastic bridge made by the Electri-cord Manufacturing Company, which supplies cords to Hospira, Abbott Nutrition, and other medical device manufacturers. The FDA is still working to determine which medical devices and equipment are outfitted with the defective power cords. The agency press release did not name which products are suspected of carrying defective power cords.

The FDA is recommending that all users of medical devices in medical facilities or at home be sure that there is no wear and tear on the electric cords used to power these devices, as that can be a sign that the cord is defective and possible of sparking a fire or causing the device to fail.

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