Abbott’s Heartmate 3 May Exhibit Power Losses, Company Says

Abbott has released a field safety notice warning that its Heartmate 3 implantable heart pump, a device used for patients that are awaiting a heart transplant, could lose power due to static electricity.

The company said that when the device and its mobile power unit are connected, excessive static electricity could cause “unrecoverable power loss” and damage the power unit. Abbott said it would provide training on methods to reduce static electricity generation.

No deaths have been reported regarding the issue, but two serious injuries occurred when the left ventricular assist system reduced or stopped blood flow, the company said.