From Medical Files to Courtroom Fire: Bard PowerPort Thrombosis and Fracture Evidence

Joey Terry
Dec 26, 2025
6 min read

Bard PowerPort Lawsuit — Bard Power Port Medical Record Review

In the world of medical devices, few things are as trusted as implantable ports like the Bard PowerPort. Designed to provide reliable long-term vascular access for patients undergoing chemotherapy, intravenous fluids, or other treatments, these devices are meant to simplify care and improve quality of life. Yet, for thousands of patients across the United States, the Bard PowerPort has become a source of unimaginable pain, complications, and life-threatening injuries.

In cases involving the Bard PowerPort, that evidence is frequently buried deep within medical records, operative notes, imaging reports, oncology charts, and complication timelines that tell a story long before a lawsuit is filed. When properly reviewed and interpreted, these records can transform from clinical documentation into powerful courtroom evidence, particularly in claims involving thrombosis and catheter fracture

What Is the Bard PowerPort Device?

The Bard PowerPort is an implantable port catheter system, often called a "port-a-cath." It consists of a small reservoir (the port) implanted under the skin, usually in the chest, connected to a flexible catheter tube inserted into a large vein. The port allows healthcare providers to deliver medications directly into the bloodstream without repeated needle sticks.

On paper, it's a game-changer for cancer patients and others needing frequent IV access. In reality, lawsuits allege that the high concentration of barium sulfate causes the catheter material to degrade over time, leading to surface pits, fissures, and outright fractures. These defects create environments for bacterial colonization and structural weakness, setting the stage for catastrophic failures.

While ports are known to carry general risks, lawsuits often allege that design defects, material failure, or inadequate warnings increased the likelihood of these complications. Establishing such claims depends heavily on what the medical record review shows chronologically, clinically, and objectively.

The Hidden Dangers: Thrombosis and Fractures Revealed in Medical Records

Medical records are the backbone of every Bard PowerPort lawsuit. Unlike manufacturer claims or marketing materials, patient files don't lie. They document the timeline from implantation to complication, often revealing patterns that individual patients might not even connect to the device.

Catheter Fractures: The Silent Break

One of the most common issues uncovered in record reviews is catheter fracture. The tube breaks or cracks, sometimes sending fragments into the bloodstream. Imaging reports (X-rays, CT scans) frequently show "fractured catheter" or "embolized fragment" in the heart, lungs, or pulmonary arteries.

In one representative case from the MDL, a patient's records showed a routine follow-up X-ray revealing a complete fracture, with the distal catheter tip migrating to the pulmonary artery. Emergency retrieval surgery was required, and notes detailed the risks of cardiac perforation or arrhythmia.

Fractures often stem from "pinch-off syndrome," where the catheter is compressed between the clavicle and first rib, exacerbated by the material's brittleness. Records from hundreds of adverse event reports to the FDA echo this: over 500 reports in one recent period included fractures leading to urgent interventions.

Thrombosis: Blood Clots That Can Kill

Thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or clots forming around the catheter, is another frequent finding in medical charts. Irritation from degraded material or fragments triggers clot formation, blocking blood flow.

Patient records often describe symptoms like arm swelling, pain, or shortness of breath, followed by ultrasound confirmation of "thrombus around catheter" or "pulmonary embolism secondary to device migration." In severe cases, clots travel to the lungs, causing life-threatening pulmonary embolisms. Spring 2025 adverse event data alone reported 155 blood clots and 12 pulmonary embolisms linked to PowerPort failures.

One lawsuit highlights a patient whose records showed progressive thrombosis despite anticoagulation therapy, ultimately requiring thrombolysis and port removal. These clots not only cause immediate danger but also long-term issues like post-thrombotic syndrome.

Infections and Other Complications

Degraded surfaces create pits where bacteria hide, leading to resistant infections. Records frequently note "catheter-related bloodstream infection" or sepsis, with cultures positive despite antibiotics. Migration, where the catheter tip shifts position, appears in echocardiograms or fluoroscopy reports, causing perforations or arrhythmias.

Additional complications in files include hemorrhage, organ puncture, and even death from untreated failures. Capsule formation around the port, noted in recent reports, complicates removal and detection.

These aren't isolated incidents. FDA adverse event databases and internal company documents (emerging in discovery) suggest Bard knew of higher failure rates compared to competitors but downplayed risks.

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How Medical Record Reviews Ignite the Lawsuit

In product liability cases like this, medical record reviews by expert nurses, physicians, and engineers are crucial. They chronologically map events: implantation date, first symptoms, diagnostic tests, surgeries, and outcomes.

Reviews often reveal:

Causation Links: Expert opinion that complications were "more likely than not" caused by device defects, not patient factors.
Failure to Warn: Records show patients and doctors received inadequate warnings about fracture or thrombosis risks.
Patterns Across Cases: Aggregated reviews in the MDL demonstrate consistent failure modes, strengthening claims of design defect.

Plaintiff fact sheets and discovery demand detailed records, ensuring only valid claims proceed. For bellwether trials (test cases), case-specific reviews dissect every chart entry. This evidentiary firepower is why the MDL grew by over 336 cases in November 2025 alone, surpassing 2,463 total.

The Role of Expert Medical Opinion in Interpreting the Evidence

Raw medical records alone rarely speak clearly to a jury. Expert medical opinion bridges the gap between clinical documentation and legal standards.

Translating Clinical Data into Legal Insight

Medical experts help attorneys understand:

Whether thrombosis patterns are consistent with catheter-related causes
Whether fracture timing and characteristics suggest material failure
Whether alternative explanations (such as cancer-related hypercoagulability) adequately account for the findings

This analysis is grounded in medical literature, clinical experience, and accepted standards of care.

Differentiating Correlation from Causation

One of the most critical contributions of expert review is distinguishing association from causation. Not every complication equals a defect. Experts evaluate:

Patient risk factors
Duration of device implantation
Proper placement and maintenance
Known complication rates versus observed outcomes

This balanced assessment enhances credibility and helps attorneys evaluate case strength early.

Strengthening Litigation Strategy Through Early Medical Review

Early, comprehensive medical record review service offers strategic advantages:

Case screening: Identifying viable claims before significant resources are invested
Discovery focus: Targeting specific records, depositions, and expert testimony
Settlement leverage: Supporting demand values with objective medical findings
Trial preparation: Anticipating defense arguments and addressing them proactively

In mass tort litigation like Bard PowerPort cases, consistent patterns across medical records can also support broader theories of liability.

Current Status of the Bard PowerPort Litigation (December 2025 Update)

The Bard PowerPort MDL, centralized in Arizona, is heating up. No recall has been issued, and the device remains on the market, but lawsuits allege negligence, defective design, and failure to warn.

December 9, 2025 – MDL Adds Over 336 Cases in November

The Bard Power Port class action MDL is finally starting to gain some momentum. During the month of November, 336 new cases were added to the MDL, bringing the total number of pending cases up to 2,463.

November 4, 2025 – Over 150 Cases Join MDL in October

A total of 155 new cases were added to the PowerPort MDL during the month of October. There are now over 2,000 pending cases in the MDL. This is the highest monthly volume of new cases to date in this litigation.

September 27, 2025 – PowerPort Lawsuit

In a most recently filed PowerPort claim, a woman from St. Petersburg, Florida, has joined the MDL, suing Bard, Becton, Dickinson, and related entities.

The plaintiff alleges that she was implanted with a PowerPort device on two occasions (April 17, 2008, and May 21, 2009) while residing in South Jordan, Utah. She claims that the device caused severe complications, including catheter fracture and thrombosis.

The lawsuit adopts numerous claims from the MDL’s Master Complaint, including strict liability and negligence related to design and manufacturing defects, failure to warn, breach of warranties, misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment, and consumer fraud. She is also seeking punitive damages and has demanded a jury trial.

Conclusion:

In Bard PowerPort litigation involving thrombosis and catheter fracture, the truth is rarely found in a single document. It emerges through meticulous medical record review, expert interpretation, and thoughtful legal strategy.

From operative notes and imaging reports to complication timelines and device removal records, medical files contain the raw materials of accountability. When transformed through expert medical opinion, these records ignite courtroom arguments, clarify causation, and support claims with credibility and precision.

Ultimately, the path from medical files to courtroom fire is built on understanding not just what happened to the patient, but how, when, and why it happened. In complex medical device cases, that understanding makes all the difference.

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