Bair Hugger Infection Lawyers 

3M™, the company that currently makes and markets the Bair Hugger™ adamantly denies claims that this forced air warming blanket presents undue risk of infection in surgical patients. This denial is supported by a large body of scientific research and cases studies with findings contrary to the claims made by plaintiffs in Bair Hugger™ lawsuits. In fact, multiple studies have found that use of a Bair Hugger™ may actually significantly reduce rates of post-surgical infection and blood loss, shortening hospital stays and speeding patient recovery. A small sampling of these studies and their conclusions in favor of the safety and efficacy of the Bair Hugger™ can be found here.

Investigation of Bair Hugger Lawsuits

The Bair Hugger is a system which helps to keep patients warm during surgery, and which may promote faster recovery and also reduce bleeding. This device works by forcing heated air through a special blanket which covers a patient during surgery and also sometimes during recovery in the hospital. However, the doctor who invented the Bair Hugger decades ago has warned since at least 2010 that the warm air in the Bair Hugger may transport and spread hospital-acquired infections. We are aware of more than one patient who has filed a Bair Hugger infection lawsuit in pursuit of compensation for serious injuries and damages resulting from continued use of this device despite evidence that it may be harmful.

Bair Hugger may Spread Infections

In a New York Times article published in 2010, Dr. Scott Augustine, the inventor of the Bair Hugger, stated that this device "is a danger to patients receiving implant devices like artificial heart valves and joints because the forced air can spread bacteria associated with hospital-acquired infections."

Dr. Augustine also claims to have disclosed this serious and potentially fatal risk to Arizant Inc., the company that now sales his Bair Hugger invention. He accuses this company and 3M, which acquired Arizant in 2010, of hiding the risk of infection linked to the Bair Hugger in order to increase their own profits.

Dr. Augustine claims to have invented a device which provides the same benefits as the Bair Hugger without the risk of serious or even fatal infections. However, he says it is easier and more cost-effective for 3M to continue to promote the Bair Hugger to hospitals all over the country.

Bair Hugger Lawsuits

Since Dr. Augustine’s disclosures about possible risk of infection linked to the Bair Hugger, multiple patients have filed dangerous medical device lawsuits in pursuit of compensation for their physical, emotional, and financial damages. In 2013, one man filed a Bair Hugger lawsuit against 3M based on claims that the device re-circulated infected air from under an operating table into the surgical field when he had a hip implant placed. According to this plaintiff, this led to a serious infection and 14 subsequent surgical procedures.

Contact a Bair Hugger Infection Lawyer

Though some doctors and competing medical device makers assert that Dr. Augustine’s claims are baseless, many patients now believe that their hospital-acquired infections after surgery could have resulted from use of the potentially dangerous Bair Hugger. Our attorneys have deep experience in defending the rights of patients and families who have suffered due to dangerous medical devices, and we are currently investigating Bair Hugger lawsuits across the United States. If you or someone you love has suffered from a hospital-acquired infection after a Bair Hugger was used during surgery, you may be owed compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages. Please contact us today for a  free and confidential personal injury lawsuit consultation so we may help you learn more about your rights.