Cochlear Implants

Cochlear Implants - Get Your Vaccinations First

Millions of people around the world suffer from hearing loss, whether they are born without the ability to hear properly or something happens to them that takes this ability away from them.  Luckily for many, medical science has made remarkable advancements in almost every facet of research, and one of those significant advancements was the invention of the cochlear implant device, which has restored hearing in countless people’s lives.

However, a recent development should alert anyone who has had or is thinking of receiving cochlear implants to a potential danger that exists – the development of Streptococcus pneumonia.  An overview of the issue appears below, but if you or someone you love has suffered as a result of receiving a cochlear implant, you need to contact a defective medical device attorney immediately to schedule an initial consultation.

The Problem
The problem with this product is that several patients who have received this device to aid their hearing have not been properly vaccinated against Streptococcus pneumonia.  Reports at this point are unclear as to specifically how cochlear implants increase the risk of developing this disease, but the disease itself can be extremely harmful and sometimes deadly, especially for children.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that several complaints of the development of this disease in patients with cochlear implants have been submitted, and most tragically, two children died as a result of this link.  The children were 9 and 11 years old.

Prevention
The FDA and the CDC have both issued statements that not only warn patients of this potential problem, but both have also issued guidelines that specifically state that anyone who is about to receive cochlear implants needs to make absolutely sure that they have received all of the CDC-approved vaccinations for this disease. 

Patients, or their parents, need to ask their doctors to check to make sure that the cochlear implant recipient is current on all pneumococcal vaccinations.  While this is not in and of itself a guarantee to prevent this problem from arising, it will substantially reduce the risk of the worst case scenario developing. 

Your Next Step
If you or someone you love is suffering as a result of this issue, you do have steps that you need to take.  The first is to contact your doctor to schedule an immediate and full medical evaluation.  The second step is to contact a defective medical device attorney as soon as possible to get the process of evaluating and, if necessary, enforcing your rights started. 

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