FDA Recall Notice: Defibtech Lifeline and ReviveR Automated External Defibrillators

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has posted the following RECALL NOTICE:

Defibtech Lifeline and ReviveR Automated External Defibrillators,  Model DDU-100 series 

AUDIENCE
: Emergency Medicine, Risk Manager

ISSUE: Devices subject to this recall include Model DDU-100 series with software version 2.004 or earlier, sold under the brand names Lifeline and ReviveR. AEDs using software version 2.004 or earlier may cause the device to cancel shock during the charging process. Failure to provide appropriate therapy may result in failure to resuscitate the patient. 

BACKGROUND: AEDs are used on victims of sudden cardiac arrest when the patient is unconscious, unresponsive and not breathing.
 
RECOMMENDATION: Defibtech will provide customers with a free software upgrade

Because the conditions that may lead to a canceled shock occur rarely, it is recommended that customers keep their AEDs in service during the software upgrade process. Full instructions and recommendations are being mailed to affected customers. Defibtech is responsible for contacting all end users unless a distributor has agreed to contact their accounts directly regarding this field correction

Healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:
  • Complete and submit the report Online: www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm
  • Download form1 or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178


RECALL NOTICED AS ISSUED BY Defibtech:

Defibtech, LLC is initiating a worldwide voluntary recall of certain DDU-100 series semi-automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) sold under the Lifeline AED and ReviveR AED brand names, including 65,885 AEDs distributed in the United States. This recall affects only DDU-100 Series AEDs shipped with 2.004 software or earlier. This corrective action addresses two possible conditions, which in rare cases may cause an affected AED to cancel shock during the charging process and not provide therapy which may result in failure to resuscitate the patient. Both conditions are not detectable by the periodic self test.

Condition 1: In rare instances, the AED may cancel charge in preparation for a shock. Based on field data, the odds of an affected AED having this happen are less than a 1 in 400,000 chance per month for any given AED.

A subset of AEDs (less than 11%) that are affected by Condition 1 are also affected by Condition 2: In rare instances, the AED may cancel charge in preparation for a shock in very high humidity conditions. The only reported cases were in environments of greater than 95% relative humidity or condensing conditions. Based on field data, the odds of an affected AED having this happen are less than a 1 in 250,000 chance per month for any given affected AED.

Defibtech will provide customers with a free software upgrade to address these issues. The correction to the AED will be able to be performed at the location where the AED is deployed.

Because both of these conditions occur very rarely, it is recommended that customers keep their AEDs in service until they have performed the software upgrade. Full instructions and recommendations are being mailed to affected customers. This customer notification, as well as instructions on determining whether an AED is affected, can also be found on the www.defibtech.com/fa11 web page. For additional information regarding this recall, please refer to the above referenced web page, contact your distributor, or contact Defibtech attechsupport@defibtech.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it, 1-877-453-4507 or 1-203-453-4507.

The AEDs affected by this recall have been distributed globally to fire departments, EMS, health clubs, schools, and other organizations. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has determined that this action is a Class I recall. Any adverse reactions experienced with the use of this product and/or quality problems should also be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Program by phone at 1-800- FDA-1088, or on the MedWatch website at www.fda.gov/medwatch.

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