The Bard PowerPort litigation alleges that the polyurethane-and-barium material used in the device degrades inside the body, causing the catheter to crack, fracture, and release fragments that migrate to the heart or lungs. Claims also allege elevated infection and blood-clot risk from the design.

What the device does

An implanted port catheter gives clinicians reliable long-term access to the bloodstream. A small reservoir sits under the skin of the chest and a thin catheter runs from it into a large vein. For a patient receiving months of chemotherapy or intravenous antibiotics, it replaces repeated needle sticks into collapsing veins.

The alleged defect

The catheter tubing at issue was manufactured from polyurethane compounded with barium sulfate, which makes the device visible on imaging. Plaintiffs allege that the barium particles were not uniformly distributed, creating weak points where the material can degrade once exposed to blood and body chemistry.

The alleged consequence is a catheter that becomes brittle over time and can crack or fracture. A fragment that breaks free travels with the blood flow, typically toward the heart or pulmonary arteries, and usually has to be retrieved by an interventional procedure.

The reported injury patterns

  • Catheter fracture with fragment migration to the heart or lungs
  • Bloodstream infection and sepsis
  • Deep vein thrombosis and other clotting complications
  • Cardiac arrhythmia and perforation
  • Emergency surgical retrieval and device revision

Where the cases are

Federal cases have been consolidated for coordinated pretrial proceedings, which lets common questions — what the manufacturer knew about the material, and when — be litigated once rather than thousands of times. Individual claims retain their own facts and their own damages.

This article is general information about active litigation and is not legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship. Deadlines, eligibility criteria, and procedural posture change; confirm anything you rely on with a licensed attorney in your state.