Buffalo Grove woman sues syringe maker

A 30-year-old leukemia patient has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of a batch of pre-filled syringes that were contaminated with bacteria, claiming they made her violently sick.

Katie Abrams of Buffalo Grove was hospitalized for nine days as a result of using the syringes at home to clear out her intravenous lines, according to the complaint filed Friday in Cook County Circuit Court.

She "became ill with uncontrollable shaking, vomiting and a fever that reached as high as 105.5 degrees Fahrenheit," according to the lawsuit.

Abrams' Chicago attorney David Rapoport said he believes the lawsuit is the first involving the tainted syringes, made by Angier, N.C.-based Sierra Pre-Filled.

Earlier this month, doctors traced numerous infections to heparin-filled syringes used during home treatment for cancer and other ailments. About 40 people were sickened in Illinois and Texas, including 20 outpatients from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

The syringes are used to flush catheters and intravenous lines.

The bacteria Serratia marcescens was found in a single lot of syringes, which has been recalled.

Dushyant Patel, president of Sierra Pre-Filled, said Saturday he was not aware of the lawsuit and couldn't comment.

Abrams' complaint does not specify a dollar value on damages but claims past and future physical injury, pain, emotional distress and medical costs were caused by the company's negligence.

Rapoport said his client, a Rush patient, is recovering and not making public comments about the lawsuit.

Her central line has been removed because of the infection and will need to be replaced, he said.

Infections caused by the bacteria could be life-threatening, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a written statement announcing the company's voluntary recall.

Consumers who have the recalled syringes should stop using the product immediately, the FDA said. The product was distributed to Florida, Texas, Illinois, Colorado and Pennsylvania.

FDA inspectors found the company failed to have adequate controls for ensuring sterility of the syringes. The company is working with federal authorities to address problems, the FDA said.