Boston Scientific PM/Defrib.

Thank you all for all the support & encourgment, during my recovery. You have answered many questions that I had, it helped me a lot. Wonder why the Ep & other surgeons don't tell us more about what to expect. Mine never told me that , the device could be set after surgery. I am schelued for another surgery later in Aug. I am having a PM/Defbri. The brand they are going to implant is:a Boston Scientific device. Has anyone heard about this one, or does anyone have this brand implanted. Would appreciate any information you could share with me. Thanks to all, in this wonderful group. I check this site daily. Hope everyone else is doing fine. Take care of yourself.
rayan

11 Comments

Why Boston Scientific/Guidant

by ted - 2008-07-31 07:07:13

I don't say this to cause you and alarm, but if it were me, I would ask my doctor(s) why they are implanting a product made by Boston Scientific which used to be called "Guidant" until Boston bought them out and changed the name.
Guidant had a shoddy history of making defective ICD's/Pacemakers and then even after learning that deaths were occurring, concealed the information from the FDA and our doctors, so that physicians kept implanting defective products into unsuspecting patients so that the profits of the company would not be affected. Lawsuits against Guidant are pending around the country and have been consolidated for pre-trial proceedings as Multi-District Litigation in the United States District Court for Minnesota.
Why would any doctor want to reward Boston Scientific/Guidant by installing their products (even if they are not defective), when Guidant didn't give a damn about the lives and health and mental well being of those of us who unfortunately received a possibly defective Guidant ICD/pacer. I hope that all doctors boycott Boston Scientific/Guidant to teach companies a lesson that people come before profits.

Why Boston Scientific/Guidant

by mrag - 2008-07-31 09:07:04

More than two years ago I got a Guidant ICD. There was really no discussion about it with my EP at the time and I had just come out of by-pass surgery. As usual, I left it in my doctor's hands. I've no idea today whether that was good or bad as I've not had another device in-planted under the same circumstances to make any comparison. Does Calloway make a better driver than Taylor? Did my EP go on a better fishing trip with the Guidant rep? Is the Guidant rep that much better than any other rep? Is Obama or McCain really going to make our kids smarter, our country safer, yada, yada? In short, we'll never really know until well after the fact.

However, while I agree with Ted in principle on Boston Scientific's actions, the principle is not going to help ME or YOU live any longer. My feeling is, that at this point in time, Boston Scientific would be doing everything and more to make sure their past problems do not resurface. I'd still grill the EP on his choice, but if you're comfortable with him, then I'd be very comfortable with Boston Scientific (at this point in time).

Brand

by candi51 - 2008-07-31 11:07:51

In my case my friend who has worked as a rep for companies said he would only have a St Jude Medical device and Meditronic was the 2nd choice. He advised to stay away from Guidant/Boston Scientific. I have a St Jude ICD but that is the only brand my EP Dr uses.

That said- I think it is something you have to discuss with your Dr and ulitmately it will depend on how well you trust his/her judgement and experience. They do these procedures every day. Definitely find out what model device and what model of leads and make sure it's not one already on recall no matter what the company you choose.

Best Wishes-
Candi

Many Recalls but Guidant Lied

by ted - 2008-08-01 01:08:51

It is true every brand has had recalls, but only Guidant hid the truth about it's defective products for years and kept selling the defective ICD's/Pacers knowing that people were dying. Guidant hid the truth from the FDA and our doctors to maintain their profits and stock price. It took the New York Times expose to bring the fraud to light. Guidant didn't come clean voluntarily. Other companies told the truth about their defects. Guidant did not. shouldn't our doctors be incensed that they were deceived and lied to? It must be pretty difficult to resist a pretty sales rep or the "consulting fees" that some drug companies pay doctors who use their products.

RELIABILITY

by pete - 2008-08-01 03:08:09

If you look at the failure rate for pacemakers it it incredibly small. Which means that it is wrong to assume St Jude pacemakers are better than Medtronic / Guidant. If my memory holds good it was only 18 months ago that I read an article that said that China had bought 200 St Jude pacemakers. The chinese tested them and returned them as so many of them were not up to spec and some of them were faulty.
There are a lot of things I dont like about the pacemaker industry but reliability is not one of my major concerns.
Cheers pete

Eli Lilly got rid of Guidant in 1994

by ted - 2008-08-01 10:08:05

Zombie:
No, I'm not mad at Eli Lilly. It is Guidant who is to blame.
Eli Lilly spun off and got rid of a loser named Guidant in 1994. Although many of Guidant's officers were formerly with Eli Lilly, Guidant became a separate company in 1994.

Hi....

by Bionic Beat - 2008-08-01 11:08:58

In Toronto, you get what you're given, no choices.

When I asked about recalls, defects, etc. in general, my EP stated that they've had recalls from all the companies at one time or another.

Then he stated that overall, they are all reliable and not to worry about it.

Mine was implanted at the largest cardiac centre in TO and they use Guidant, St. Judes and Medtronics.

It's up to the EP Guy/Gal to decide which type is better suited to your medical needs in our system.

Best wishes


Bionic Beat

Hi....

by Bionic Beat - 2008-08-01 11:08:58

In Toronto, you get what you're given, no choices.

When I asked about recalls, defects, etc. in general, my EP stated that they've had recalls from all the companies at one time or another.

Then he stated that overall, they are all reliable and not to worry about it.

Mine was implanted at the largest cardiac centre in TO and they use Guidant, St. Judes and Medtronics.

It's up to the EP Guy/Gal to decide which type is better suited to your medical needs in our system.

Best wishes


Bionic Beat

You're still wrong Zombie

by ted - 2008-08-02 09:08:39

Zombie:
This will be my last post to you. I don't want to continue to argue with someone who is either in denial of the facts, or afraid to face them, or who works for Guidant. I happen to have a Guidant Model 1298 (on recall). As for suing me for defamation or slander, if you were a lawyer (and I am), you would know that truth is an absolute defense. The truth is that people died because doctors kept on implanting defective Guidant products which Guidant knew were defective, but company officials made a conscious choice not to report the problems to the FDA or alert our doctors so that company profits would not suffer and executive's stock holdings diminish in value. I see where you are wearing a Boston Scientific (Guidant) ICD. If it makes you feel safe to believe that this brand is the best in the world, that's OK with me. I hope you are right. My whole point has been that no doctor should implant a Guidant, not because the product is bad, but because Guidant lied to everyone. I don't care how good Guidant is today. The only way to keep a corporation honest is no not reward it by buying it's merchandise when it has acted dishonestly.

Sorry, Zombie, you are dead wrong

by ted - 2008-08-02 11:08:51

Sorry, Zombie, you better read up and get your facts straight. I am a lawyer who has been involved in the Guidant litigation. There were at least seven know deaths attributable to the defects; numerous ICD's and pacers had to be explanted; thousands suffered emotional shock and injury; many stopped driving and working and other activities because of fear of passing out. Guidant settled a number of death cases prior to trial because the evidence was overwhelming. Don't make it seem like Guidant did no harm. Don't trivialize Guidant's crimes without doing your homework. Get your facts straight. Real people died because Guidant kept on selling it's defective junk without letting anyone know the truth. Read the N.Y Times articles which broke the story about the deaths and which forced Guidant to come clean.

right on ted

by jessie - 2008-08-04 05:08:07

i agree that to reward this company is totally insane. they were acting in total disregard for people consciously not reporting it for money. that to me says it all. why would anyone want to take a chance when there has been total dishonesty? this dishonesty caused loss of life. simple as that. jessie

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