Medical Device Safety and Recalls: St. Jude Medical Recalls Optisure Dual Coil Defibrillation Leads Due to Damage that May Prevent Patient Therapy

A recall has been issued for Optisure Dual Coil Defibrillation Leads. The leads are implanted wires that connect a defibrillator to a patient’s heart. The defibrillator system senses the patient’s heart rhythm and delivers electrical pulses or shocks when it detects a faster than normal heart rate (tachycardia) or completely disorganized electrical activity (fibrillation). St. Jude is recalling the Optisure leads due to a manufacturing error that may have caused damage to the insulation layer of one of the shock coils. Depending on device programming and the depth of the cut, this could result in the inability of the defibrillator to deliver electrical therapy to the patient. The use of affected products may cause serious adverse health consequences, including patient injury or death.