Archive for July 7th, 2010

Medtronic defibrillator batteries subject of FDA Class 1 recall

Physio-Control, a subsidiary of medical device manufacturer Medtronic, Inc., has begun a field correction effort to fix a possible battery power problem in its defibrillators.  The medical devices are the subject of a “Class 1″ recall by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the highest-level recall made by the agency.

According to the FDA, approximately 43,000 Lifepak 20 and Lifepak 20e defibrillator/monitors worldwide may be affected.  It is believed that at least one patient may have died as a result of the battery problem thus far.

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Oil Seeping into New Orleans’ Lake Pontchartrain

New Orleans’ worst fear in the Gulf oil spill was confirmed when officials reported late Tuesday that oil is now in New Orleans’ Lake Pontchartrain. The lake was only recently rescued from massive pollution, and according to the Lake Pontcharain Basin Foundation, even people involved in the restoration doubted the lake could be cleaned up.  But the lake managed to make a dramatic turnaround, eventually reopening for recreational use.

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