Artificial heart recipient's widow settles

The Associated Press
Jun 14, 2003 : 12:47 pm ET

PHILADELPHIA -- The widow of an artificial heart recipient who says her husband wasn't adequately warned of what life would be like with the device has reached a $125,000 settlement with the manufacturer, the hospital that implanted it and a patient advocate who counseled him, her lawyer said.

Irene Quinn argued in the lawsuit that her husband, James Quinn, didn't realize what life would be like with the self-contained artificial heart and that he soon regretted taking part in the trial.

Quinn, 52, died from a stroke on Aug. 26, 10 months after the AbioCor artificial heart was implanted in his chest at Hahnemann University Hospital.

The retired baker and grandfather of five from West Philadelphia was able to go on some outings from the hospital and gained enough strength by January 2002 to be moved from the hospital to a hotel suite, where his wife could stay with him. But he developed breathing difficulties, which turned into pneumonia.

He "had no quality of life and his essential human dignity had been taken from him," the lawsuit said.

Named as defendants were Abiomed, of Danvers, Mass.; Hahnemann; Tenet Healthcare Corp., which owns Hahnemann; and David Casarett of the University of Pennsylvania, who was assigned to help the Quinns understand the consent process.

A spokeswoman said Hahnemann and Tenet were pleased the case had been "resolved amicably" but declined to comment further.

Edward Berger of Abiomed said the suit had no effect on the company's informed-consent process because it was already "extraordinarily mindful" of patients' needs.

The plastic-and-titanium device has been implanted in 11 patients, two of whom are still alive, Berger said. Tom Christerson of Central City, Ky., lived the longest -- 17 months. He died Feb. 7.

The settlement deal, filed by Irene Quinn's lawyer, Alan Milstein, still must be approved by a judge.