Aspen surgical received a medwatch letter from the fda (mw5078330) indicating that a bard-parker blade broke while in use during a procedure.The incident occurred at the user facility.No sample was returned and no photographic evidence was available for evaluation.A manufacturing lot number was provided for review.Bard-parker blade broke during a robotic hysterectomy with bilateral salpingectomy and cystoscopy, the blade broke at the scalpel.The broken blade piece was successfully retrieved.There were no complications to the patient and no additional treatment was required.A review of the device history record indicated no non-conformance's related to the reported issue.The most probable root cause could have been during the stamping or grinding process.Packaging process has established controls to mitigate broken or cracked blade condition, including a "medio" blade sensor that inspects 100% of packed pouches liner level prior to aluminum foil packaging.Also, excessive force applied by end user during surgery process could also cause blade condition.The following controls are in-place to mitigate "broken blade" condition at aspen surgical (b)(4) site: heat treatment in-process at the beginning and end of each lot are inspected for dimension integrity using a pin gauge, flatness gauge and perforation length gauge, ductility test, and hardness test.Heat treatment quality inspections at the beginning and end of each lot are inspected for dimension integrity using a pin gauge, flatness gauge and perforation length gauge, ductility test, and hardness test.Sample was not returned.However if sample becomes available and any additional relevant information is identified, the additional relevant information will be submitted in a supplemental report.
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