Misdiagnosis Leads to Guidant Pacemaker Implant
April 14, 2006The Racine Journal Times tells the story of Ron Bell, who was driving to work when his heart stopped and he passed out. Somehow he recovered to drive himself to the hospital, where a Guidant pacemaker was implanted. The device had to be replaced after five years.
Bell got a second pacemaker two years ago, but that one had to be removed last month after it malfunctioned.
Bell contacted Guidant about his pacemaker and was told it was not one of the models that is having problems. Those models are the Contak Renewal 3 RF and Renewal 4 RF cardiac defibrillators. The representative at Guidant told Bell it wasn't his pacemaker that was the problem but the leads.However, since the leads on his pacemaker were bad, Bell said he is investigating to see if he is eligible to participate in a lawsuit against Guidant.
When Bell went to get his second pacemaker replaced, doctors discovered he neve needed a pacemaker in the first place - his condition can be controlled by medication.