Recall StatusTerminated
Date Initiated2018-09-10
Date Terminated2019-11-04
Reason for Recall
Boston Scientific has identified a subset of
active pacemaker and CRT-Ps systems with an
elevated potential for early pacemaker replacement due to hydrogen-induced accelerated battery depletion.
Firm Action
On September 2018 Boston Scientific sent letters to their customers with the following information:
Dear Doctor,
Boston Scientific has identified a subset of approximately 2,900 active ACCOLADE", PROPONENT", and ESSENTIO" pacemakers and VISIONIST" and VALITUDE" cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemakers
(CRT-Ps) with an elevated potential for early pacemaker replacement due to hydrogen-induced accelerated battery depletion. There have been no reports of injury related to this behavior. You are receiving this letter because you or your center has implanted or follow one or more patients with a pacemaker in this subset. This device behavior can be identified via the regular pacemaker follow-up process, either in-clinic or through the LATITUDE" NXT Remote Patient Management System (LATITUDE). Therefore, a follow-up interval of no
more than six (6) months is recommended and is consistent with existing international societal guidelines1. If accelerated depletion is suspected, Boston Scientific recommends consultation with Technical Services to
review the pacemaker diagnostic data available from either a recent data upload in LATITUDE or a Save to Disk to confirm accelerated depletion and determine an appropriate timeframe for pacemaker replacement.
Description
The pacemaker manual describes how increases in pacing requirements or changes in programmed parameters may result in an expected longevity reduction and are considered normal battery depletion. However, hydrogen exposure within the pacemakers circuitry may compromise the electrical performance of low voltage capacitors causing current leakage and a moderate acceleration in the rate of battery depletion. Because this accelerated depletion does not occur rapidly, a follow-up interval of no more than six months is recommended. Boston Scientific has determined a liner component to be the source of hydrogen and identified a subset of previously distributed pacemakers that have an elevated potential for exh
Root Cause
Component design/selection
Distribution Pattern
AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, W A, WI, WV, and WY
Official Source
View FDA Recall →Source: FDA Enforcement Report / Recall database. Always confirm against the official FDA record.