Filshie Clip Injury Lawsuit (2024 Latest Updates & Insights)

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Filshie clips are silicone-lined, titanium devices that have been routinely used for sterilization procedures since 1981. The device works by cutting off the blood supply to the Fallopian tube, causing the 2 ends of the tube to separate and fall apart, thus preventing the sperm and eggs from meeting.

The Filshie Clip was invented by Marcus Filshie, an obstetrician and gynecologist who was seeking an alternative to electrocautery, an earlier form of sterilization. The clips were manufactured, sold, and distributed as part of “a minimally invasive, easy, and simple form of sterilization” known as the Filshie Tubal Ligation System, an alternative to “tubes tied” surgery.

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Many women who had a Filshie Clip implanted to prevent pregnancy have reported suffering severe pain and/or perforation of tissue caused by device migration.

Women in this situation have experienced years of agony and were often told there was an unknown cause for the problem. This is why it is so important that the clips are identified and removed before the clips migrate and to reduce the risk of complications in additional women.

The use of Filshie Clips birth control was often not communicated to women being sterilized, resulting in the need for multiple investigations to identify the cause of pain. When women were informed that they were being implanted with Filshie clips, the risks and complications were downplayed or not mentioned.

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Case reports have found that Filshie Clips can migrate after being implanted, causing chronic abdominal pain and hernias. Some women who have suffered Filshie Clip migration have reported having heavier and sometimes painful periods after surgery on their fallopian tubes. The number of women reporting heavy periods increased from 9% before surgery to 35% after surgery.

In 1996, Femcare Ltd. advised the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in seeking approval to market the Filshie Clip that the device experienced “migration or expulsion” (“adverse effect”) at a rate of 0.13%.

“Of the 5454 women who were enrolled in the ten prospective FHI clinical trials reported in the submission and who were sterilized using Filshie Clip tubal occlusion system, eight (0.1%) women were reported to have experienced instances of clip migration, clip expulsion, or foreign body reaction,” the case report said. “Three instances of apparently asymptomatic migration of the clip were observed as incidental findings, but the frequency of this event is unknown.”

In January 2022, medical device manufacturers CooperCompanies and Utah Medical Products were hit with a product liability lawsuit [2] in the Florida Federal Court Middle District over the manufacture and distribution of Filshie Clip devices.

The complaint was filed on behalf of 4 women who claim that the companies failed to inform patients of risks associated with the Filshie Clip, in particular as a result of clips migrating after surgery.

The lawsuit is 6:22-cv-00177, Rebando et al v. CooperSurgical, Inc. et al. Filshie.

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Have you or a loved one suffered severe pain or injury from a defective medical device?

The Filshie Clips lawsuit is a legal action alleging that manufacturers Cooper Surgical and Femcare failed to adequately warn patients about the risks associated with Filshie Clips and did not address safety concerns regarding their product. If you or a loved one has been harmed by a migrating Filshie Clip device, you can get a free case review now.

The risks of Filshie clips are abscesses, chronic pelvic or abdominal pain, and fistulas (abnormal connections between body parts). Other potential complications include hernias, sepsis (blood infection), tissue perforation, and ulcers.

To prove your case in a Filshie Clips lawsuit, you will need to provide evidence that the clip caused harm. This typically includes medical records showing the complications or injuries, expert testimony on the device’s safety, and proof that the manufacturers failed to adequately warn about the risks. Your attorney can guide you through gathering and presenting this evidence.

If you or a loved one need to have your Filshie Clip removed, or removal was recommended by your doctor, you should contact our lawyers at Schmidt & Clark, LLP immediately by using the form below or calling our defective product law firm toll-free 24 hrs/day by dialing (866) 588-0600 to schedule a free case review and legal options.

Clients may be able to recover fair compensation and our lawyers can help.

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