What is a Bard PowerPort?

A PowerPort is an implanted port catheter, a device placed under the skin, usually in the chest, and connected to a catheter that runs into a large vein. Doctors use ports to give chemotherapy and other IV medications and to draw blood without a new needle stick in a vein each time. Many people with a port are cancer patients, and a port can stay in place for months or years.

What do the Bard PowerPort lawsuits allege?

Plaintiffs allege that certain Bard PowerPort catheters were defectively designed and that patients and doctors were not adequately warned of the risks. They claim the devices can fracture or break apart, migrate through the bloodstream, cause serious bloodstream infections, and lead to blood clots. These are allegations that each plaintiff must prove, and the cases are being tested through bellwether trials in MDL 3081.

Signs and symptoms of port catheter complications

Complications can appear at any time while a port is in place. Warning signs can include:

• Redness, swelling, pain, or drainage at the port site
• Fever or chills
• Swelling in the arm, neck, or face on the side of the port
• Chest pain, shortness of breath, or an irregular heartbeat
• A port that is hard to flush or will not draw blood

Anyone with these symptoms should contact their doctor right away. Call 911 or go to an emergency room for chest pain or trouble breathing.

Where do the Bard PowerPort lawsuits stand?

The lawsuits are consolidated in MDL 3081 in the District of Arizona before Judge David G. Campbell. The court is working through a bellwether trial program, which uses individual test cases to show how claims may be decided. Because an MDL is not a class action, each plaintiff keeps an individual claim. The case management orders above show each step the court has taken, and our Bard PowerPort Lawsuit page summarizes where things stand now.