CPAP Injury Lawsuit

sleep_apnea Have you or someone you love been using CPAP equipment? If so, you may be exposed to serious health risks.

Philips Respironics issued a voluntary recall of several Bi-Level PAP and CPAP sleep apnea devices due to risk of cancer, lung damage, and infection. Contact us for a free case evaluation if you or a loved one has experienced breathing difficulty, airway irritation, or any other discomfort.

Recall Information

In June, Philips Respironics responded to numerous claims of black particles in the airways of their sleep apnea machines by announcing a voluntary recall. The FDA has classified it as a class 1 recall -- the most serious type of recall. It released an alert stating, “These issues can result in serious injury, which can be life-threatening, cause permanent impairment, and require medical attention to prevent permanent damage.”

The following devices are included in the recall:

  • E30®
  • Dreamstation ASV®
  • Dreamstation ST, AVAPS®
  • SystemOne ASV4®
  • C-Series ASV®
  • C-Series S/T and AVAPS®
  • OmniLab Advanced+®
  • SystemOne (Q-Series)®
  • DreamStation®
  • DreamStation Go®
  • Dorma 400®
  • Dorma 500®
  • REMstar SE Auto®
  • Trilogy 100®
  • Trilogy 200®
  • Garbin Plus®, Aeris®, LifeVent®
  • A-Series BiPAP Hybrid A30®
  • A-Series BiPAP V30 Auto®
  • A-Series BiPAP A40®
  • A-Series BiPAP A30®
Where Are the Black Particles Coming From?

Many Philips-brand ventilators, CPAP, and BiPAP machines use polyester-based polyurethane (PE-PUR) foam to lessen the sounds and vibrations these devices produce. Over time, many users noticed black particles in the airways of their units, caused by foam degradation. In addition to the risk of inhaling these particles, there is also a danger of breathing in chemicals contained in the foam.

What Are the Symptoms of Prolonged Particle Inhalation?

The FDA suggests that particle exposure could cause symptoms ranging from headaches and dizziness to toxic effects to organs like the kidneys and liver. Users may also experience asthma and irritation in the eyes, throat, and skin.

What Are the Symptoms of Exposure to the Chemicals?

The PE-PUR foam chemicals may cause users to feel dizzy and experience nausea or vomiting. Headaches, hypersensitivity, blood abnormalities, and irritation in the eyes, nose, and throat are possible, as well.

Further Health Risks

In addition to these known symptoms, several users of Dreamstations and other Philips devices have suffered from severe diseases and complications, including heart attacks, lung damage, respiratory failure, and cancer.

Cancer types include:

  • Bladder Cancer
  • Brain Cancer
  • Breast Cancer
  • Hematopoietic Cancer
  • Kidney Cancer
  • Liver Cancer
  • Lung Cancer
  • Lymphatic Cancer
  • Multiple Myeloma
  • Nasal Cancer
  • Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
  • Pancreatic Cancer
  • Prostate Cancer
  • Rectal Cancer
  • Stomach Cancer
  • Testicular Cancer
  • Thyroid Cancer

KDLM has been a pioneer in medical negligence litigation for over 70 years, and has extensive experience in products liability litigation. If you suffered harm as a result of using a recalled Philips CPAP device, contact our CPAP injury attorneys for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Additional Resources:
Philips CPAP Machines Recalled Due to Causing Major Health Issues