Medtronic Plc (MDT) has announced a recall of specific McGrath MAC and MAC EMS Video Laryngoscopes due to a potential safety hazard. The company has identified a risk of battery depletion below its intended threshold in certain devices, which could lead to battery instability, increased temperature, and a potential explosion.
The McGrath MAC and MAC EMS Video Laryngoscopes are utilized by healthcare professionals to visualize the trachea during medical procedures. These devices incorporate a light source and a miniature camera to provide a clear view of the voice box (larynx) during laryngoscopy, a procedure used to examine the larynx and nearby structures.
The potential consequences of using the affected devices are severe and include burns, cuts, scarring, tooth loss, eye injury, hearing damage, respiratory failure, oxygen deprivation (hypoxia), scarring, and even death. One injury has been reported in connection with this recall, but there have been no reported deaths.
Medtronic is addressing the recall by removing affected devices from circulation and updating instructions for other models of the laryngoscopes. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified this recall as the most serious type, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
Separately, Baxter International Inc. (BAX) has initiated a recall of certain Single-Patient Use Circuits and Blue Ventilator Adapter Assemblies associated with its Volara System. The recall stems from reports of the handset plug disconnecting from the nebulizer port on the blue ventilator adapter.
The Volara System is designed for patients requiring ventilator support. The Single Patient Use Circuit and Blue Adapter Assembly connect the Volara System to the ventilator and are sold separately from the main system. If the handset plug detaches while the Volara System is in use with a ventilator but without a nebulizer connected, it can disrupt proper operation and gas flow, potentially compromising the patient’s ventilation.
Medtronic’s stock price was down 1.36% at $89.79 at the close of trading on Thursday.
