PowerPort Evidence and Records — What You Need for Your Case

Device Identification Records — The Implant Card and Operative Report

The single most important piece of evidence linking your specific device to the Bard PowerPort product line is the device identification information: the brand name (PowerPort), catalog number, lot number, and serial number. Patients typically receive an implant card from the implanting physician that contains this information. If you do not have your implant card, the operative report from your port placement procedure should contain the device identification data — hospitals are required to document implanted device information in surgical records under Joint Commission standards and the FDA's Universal Device Identifier (UDI) regulations. Your attorney can obtain this information through a medical records request to the implanting facility.

Imaging Reports — The Core Fracture Documentation

Imaging records are the primary documentation of the catheter fracture and fragment location. Relevant imaging includes: chest X-rays showing the radiodense catheter in an abnormal configuration or a separate fragment at a distal location; CT of the chest with 3D reconstruction showing the fragment's exact position within the vascular anatomy; fluoroscopy images from the retrieval procedure showing the fragment before and during retrieval; and echocardiography (heart ultrasound) reports documenting fragment location in the right heart or valve vegetations if infection occurred. Radiology reports — the written interpretations by radiologists — are as important as the images themselves and should be obtained along with the actual image files (CD or digital download from the radiology department).

Operative Reports and Pathology

The operative report from the catheter retrieval procedure — whether percutaneous or open surgical — documents the fragment's location at time of retrieval, its macroscopic appearance, and the specific retrieval technique used. If the fragment was sent to the hospital pathology laboratory (which is standard practice for retrieved foreign body material), the pathology report may identify the material as polyurethane and may describe degradation features such as cracking, brittleness, or surface oxidation. Pathology specimens may be preserved in the hospital's tissue storage indefinitely — your attorney can issue a preservation request to prevent routine destruction. All hospitalization records from fracture-related admissions, ICU stays, and surgical recoveries document the medical impact of the injury and support the damages calculation.

Financial Documentation and Lost Wages

Economic damages in a PowerPort lawsuit are supported by Explanation of Benefits (EOB) statements from your health insurer, hospital billing records, physician billing records, and pharmacy records — all documenting the medical costs attributable to the catheter fracture and its complications. Lost wages are documented by employment records, pay stubs, W-2s or tax returns showing income before and after the injury, and if applicable, documentation from your employer of medical leave taken due to PowerPort complications. If the injuries caused permanent disability affecting future earning capacity, vocational expert analysis and life care planning by a certified life care planner are used to project future economic losses. Your attorney will guide you through assembling all categories of economic documentation.