Trief & Olk is currently investigating OtisMed Corporation, the maker of OtisKnee, for intentionally distributing knee replacement surgery cutting guides after their application for marketing clearance had been rejected by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If you believe that an OtisKnee guide was used in your knee replacement surgery, contact the product liability attorneys at Trief & Olk for a free consultation.

By way of background, OtisMed marketed the OtisKnee cutting guide as a tool to assist surgeons in making accurate bone cuts specific to individual patients’ anatomy based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed prior to surgery.  None of OtisMed’s claims regarding the OtisKnee device were evaluated by the FDA before the company used them in advertisements and promotional material.

“Companies and individuals put the public health at risk by not complying with FDA regulatory requirements for the pre-market review of medical devices,” said Acting Director Philip J. Walsky for the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations.  “We will continue to assure consumer confidence in FDA-regulated products by investigating and bringing to justice those who endanger patient safety by distributing unapproved surgical devices.”

Between May 2006 and September 2009, OtisMed sold more than 18,000 OtisKnee devices, generating revenue of approximately $27.1 million.