What is Bard PowerPort Used For?
The Bard PowerPort is an implantable access device designed to provide long-term, reliable entry into the bloodstream without requiring repeated needle sticks into peripheral veins. It was first cleared by the FDA in 2000 and is manufactured by Bard Access Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD).
The device has two main parts. The first is a small port — a disc-shaped reservoir with a self-sealing silicone top — that is surgically placed just beneath the skin, usually on the chest or upper arm. The second is a flexible catheter made from a polyurethane-based material called Chronoflex AL, which threads from the port into a large central vein near the heart. Together, these components allow medical providers to deliver medications, IV fluids, nutritional supplements, blood products, and contrast dye directly into the bloodstream. Blood samples can also be drawn through the port using a special access needle.
This type of device is especially valuable for patients who need frequent or continuous intravenous treatment over an extended period of time. It is commonly implanted in people receiving chemotherapy for cancer, patients managing kidney failure through dialysis, and individuals requiring prolonged antibiotic therapy or specialized nutritional support. By providing a stable, centrally located access point, the PowerPort is intended to reduce both discomfort and the cumulative vein damage that comes with repeated IV placements.
Multiple product models are named in active litigation, including the Bard PowerPort ClearVUE, the PowerPort MRI, the SlimPort, BardPort, X-Port, Titanium PowerPort isp, PowerPort Duo MRI, Titanium SlimPort, Vaccess CT Port and others that share the same Chronoflex polyurethane catheter construction.
Common Injuries Associated with Bard PowerPort Complications
For many patients, the Bard PowerPort functions as intended. But a significant number have reported serious, sometimes catastrophic complications — and research suggests the rate of adverse events is far higher than most patients are warned about. A 2021 study of nearly 94,000 Medicare patients with implanted port catheters found that more than 49% experienced a complication within five years of placement, spanning blood clot events, infections, and mechanical failures including fractures.
The injuries that have emerged fall into three broad patterns, each tracing back to the same underlying problem with the catheter material:
- Catheter fracture and migration — Pieces of the catheter can break off and travel through the bloodstream, where they may puncture veins, the heart wall, or lung tissue.
- Serious infection and sepsis — Deterioration of the catheter’s surface creates conditions where bacteria can take hold and spread into the bloodstream, sometimes leading to life-threatening systemic infection.
- Blood clot formation — A damaged catheter surface becomes prone to triggering clot formation, which can lead to deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, stroke, or heart attack.
Beyond these three primary pathways, the full range of injuries documented in patients and adverse event reports includes:
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Pulmonary embolism
- Stroke
- Heart attack (myocardial infarction)
- Cardiac arrhythmia
- Cardiac tamponade (fluid compression around the heart)
- Cardiac puncture or perforation
- Hemorrhage or hematoma
- Hemothorax (blood in the chest cavity)
- Collapsed lung
- Sepsis
- Tissue death (necrosis)
- Organ and vessel perforation
- Arterial puncture
- Severe or persistent pain
- Death
If you currently have a Bard PowerPort and notice unexplained swelling, redness, or pain near the port site, fever or discharge at the implant location, shortness of breath, chest pain, abnormal heart rhythms, difficulty withdrawing blood through the port, or unusual limb swelling, contact your doctor promptly. These may be early warning signs of a complication.
How Are the Medical Device and Injuries Linked?
Understanding the connection between the Bard PowerPort catheter and these injuries requires a look at what the catheter is actually made of — and what happens to that material once it is inside the body.
The catheter tubing is manufactured from a polymer blend called Chronoflex AL, which combines polyurethane with barium sulfate. Barium sulfate is added specifically to make the catheter visible on X-rays and CT scans — a property known as radiopacity. The problem, researchers have found, is that barium sulfate particles do not bond firmly with the polyurethane. Once the catheter is implanted and begins to flex with normal body movement — breathing, reaching, turning — those particles gradually leach out of the material.
As particles migrate away from the polymer matrix, they leave behind microscopic voids, surface notches, and areas of structural weakness. Over time, what begins as microscopic surface damage can progress into cracks and eventually full fractures of the tubing. Published research supports this sequence of events directly. A 2016 study confirmed that catheters containing barium sulfate — in both polyurethane and silicone compositions — develop surface notches and fracture points under mechanical stress. A 2010 study demonstrated that a degraded catheter surface promotes bacterial adhesion and releases barium sulfate particles that create surface irregularities hospitable to bacterial growth. And research dating to 1985 established that catheters containing radiopaque particles are measurably rougher in texture and more likely to trigger blood clot formation than catheters without those additives.
In short, the same ingredient added to make the device easier to see on imaging also appears to compromise the catheter’s structural integrity, its resistance to infection, and its ability to avoid triggering dangerous clots. Hundreds of serious adverse event reports related to PowerPort fragmentation and infections have been filed with the FDA, yet Bard has not issued a recall of the device related to these known concerns.
What are the Lawsuits About and Recent Litigation Updates
Patients injured by Bard PowerPort devices have filed lawsuits alleging that the device was defectively designed, that Bard failed to adequately warn patients and physicians of known risks, and that the company engaged in negligent marketing of a product it knew could cause serious harm. Some claims also allege that Bard may have concealed information about the device’s risks. The lawsuits target C.R. Bard, Inc., Bard Access Systems, Inc., Bard Peripheral Vascular, and their parent company, Becton, Dickinson and Company.
These are individual personal injury cases — not a class action — meaning each plaintiff pursues compensation based on their own specific circumstances and injuries. However, because the cases share common questions about the device’s design and Bard’s conduct, they have been consolidated for pretrial proceedings in a federal multidistrict litigation (MDL).
MDL No. 3081 — formally captioned In Re: Bard Implanted Port Catheter Products Liability Litigation — was established in August 2023 and is overseen by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell in the District of Arizona. Additional cases have been filed in New Jersey and Arizona state courts.
Compensation that injured plaintiffs may seek includes past and future medical costs, lost income and reduced earning capacity, physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, and diminished quality of life. In appropriate cases, courts may also consider punitive damages. It is worth noting that the PowerPort received FDA clearance through the 510(k) pathway, a process that requires only that a device be substantially similar to an existing device — it does not require clinical trials or proof of safety and efficacy.
Do You Qualify for a Bard PowerPort Lawsuit?
Patients may qualify to file a Bard PowderPort lawsuit if they meet certain criteria. To pursue a PowerPort injury claim, potential claimants generally must meet the following criteria:
Device Qualifications
- You had a Bard PowerPort or a related implantable port with a Chronoflex polyurethane catheter implanted
- The device model is one of those named in litigation, including the PowerPort ClearVUE, BardPort, SlimPort, X-Port, Titanium PowerPort isp, PowerPort Duo MRI, PowerPort with Groshong Catheter, or MRI variants, confirmed through medical records
Injury Qualifications
You suffered one or more serious complications, such as:
- Catheter fracture or migration of catheter fragments
- Catheter perforation of vessels and/or organs
- Catheter-related Infection
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Pulmonary embolism
- Cardiac arrhythmia or cardiac tamponade
- Cardiac puncture or perforation
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Hemorrhage or hematoma
- Bloodstream infection or sepsis
- Tissue death (necrosis)
Wrongful Death
- If a family member died as a result of complications from a Bard PowerPort device — surviving family members may have a claim on their behalf
Even if you are uncertain whether your device model qualifies or whether your complications are related, speaking with an attorney can help clarify your situation.
Timing matters. Filing deadlines also vary by state and acting promptly helps preserve your legal rights and ensure that critical medical records and evidence are available. It’s important to contact a lawyer experienced in injuries related to defective medical devices as soon as possible to evaluate your legal options.
Contact Us Today
At LexLegal, we are committed to holding medical device manufacturers accountable for the harm caused by their defective products. We represent individuals and families who have suffered serious injuries from Bard PowerPort complications, and we are actively accepting new cases. Let us fight for you to hold the manufacturers accountable for your injuries and recover the compensation you deserve.
If you or someone you love received a Bard PowerPort implantable port catheter and later experienced a serious health complication — a blood clot, a catheter fracture, a dangerous infection, or other serious injury, contact us today. We stand ready to assist you in pursuing fair compensation for your injuries to the fullest extent allowed under the law.
LexLegal offers free, confidential case evaluations to determine whether you qualify for a Bard PowerPort lawsuit. We’ll review your information and promptly respond about your legal options. Every Bard PowerPort lawsuit we handle is taken on a contingency fee basis, which means there are no upfront costs for clients. Our firm is experienced in handling defective medical device cases, and we welcome any questions you may have.
Complete our instant case evaluation today to learn whether you may be eligible to file a Bard PowerPort lawsuit.
