Re: port damage from bad needles

[Guest guest]

Good info, thanks Phyllis!

Some surgeons don't even use these required needles.

(some in the US, most in Mexico, and my MX band surgeon never did in

all the years I saw him)

We have every right to insist they do, and insist to know what BRAND of huber

needle they use if they do use them.

Some people surely said, when they got this Allergan email, that Allergan was

simply pushing THEIR Huber needles, but this is a good example of why to use

only the recommended needles.

We ourselves have to be as knowledgable as possible in protecting our precious

bands.

Sadly, it would be very diffcult to prove that a leaking or damaged port was

caused specifically by use of these " bad " needle, as opposed to poor technique,

so it's unlikely anyone needing port replacements would be able to win any type

of reimbursement.

Sandy r

>

> From my friend Phyllis, a band educator, regarding the recall of some Huber

needles (see the post below) - Sandy :

> ------------

> Just got this info from a WLS education nurse here in KY

>

> This was the email that was sent with the link:

> Dear LAP-BAND® System Surgeon:

> You may recall that last May we sent an email to the LAP-BAND® System

> Surgeon community concerning recommendation of needles for

> adjustments. It had come to our attention that some needles being

> used for LAP-BAND® adjustments, while being labeled as non-coring

> needles, have cored the access port septum.

> In light of these reports, we recommended in this email the use of

> Allergan Inc.'s 20 gauge Access Port needles and 's Medical 22

> gauge needles in order to avoid coring.

> On January 26, 2010, the FDA issued a Class 1 recall of certain Exel

> needles due to coring issues. Please see details in the press release

> below:

> http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fda-announces-class-i-recall-...

> Please contact your Allergan LAP-BAND® Account Manager directly if you

> have any questions on this issue. We continue to recommend only the

> Allergan Inc. and 's Medical needles noted above.

> Thank you for your continued support of the bariatric patient

> community and the LAP-BAND® System.

> All the best,

> Jim Caggiano

> Vice President – Allergan Health

>