Byrnes v. Small

60 F. Supp. 3d 1289, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33555, 2015 WL 1243219
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedMarch 18, 2015
DocketCase No. 8:14-cv-1726-T-36MAP
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 60 F. Supp. 3d 1289 (Byrnes v. Small) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Byrnes v. Small, 60 F. Supp. 3d 1289, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33555, 2015 WL 1243219 (M.D. Fla. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER

CHARLENE EDWARDS HONEYWELL, District Judge.

This cause comes before the Court upon the Motion to Dismiss filed by Defendants Medtronic, Inc. and Medtronic Sofamor Danek USA, Inc. (collectively, “Medtronic”) (Doc. 32). Plaintiffs Lori Byrnes and Matthew Byrnes (collectively, “Plaintiffs”) responded in opposition to the Motion (Doc. 36). Medtronic replied in further support of its Motion (Doc. 39). On November 20, 2014, the Court held oral argument on the Motion. Doc. 57. Both sides Submitted a number of supplemental authorities (Docs. 43, 46-51, 53, 61-62, 64-65, 71). The Court, having considered the parties’ submissions and the oral argument, and being fully advised in the premises, .will now GRANT the Motion to Dismiss.

I. STATEMENT OF FACTS1

This action arises over the injuries allegedly caused to Lori Byrnes by the bone graft device Infuse, which was implanted in Ms. Byrnes in an off-label manner during a spinal fusion surgery. The Com[1293]*1293plaint alleges as follows: Spinal fusion surgeries are performed to treat a number of conditions, such as spinal deformities and back pain. Doc. 2 (“Compl.”) ¶ 50. The goal of a spinal fusion surgery is to obtain a solid fusion of the vertebrae. Id. ¶ 51. Traditionally, in performing a spinal fusion surgery, a surgeon places a graft consisting of the patient’s own bone or a cadaver bone in a spacer cage within the disc space between the vertebrae. Id. However, newer options using bio-engineered and bio-manufactured bone growth products have been developed, and are more appealing to surgeons because they obviate the need to harvest bone. Id. ¶ 54.

Infuse is a bio-engineered bone graft device that was designed, manufactured, and marketed by Medtronic for use in spinal fusion surgeries. Id. ¶ 2. It consists of three parts: (1) a metallic spinal fusion cage (the* “LT-Cage”); (2) the bone graft substitute; and (3) a sponge-like carrier or scaffold for the bpne graft substitute that is placed inside the fusion cage. Id. ¶ 56. The fusion cage serves to maintain spacing and temporarily stabilize the diseased region of the spine. Id. ¶ 57. The bone graft component serves to form the bone that will permanently stabilize the treated portion of the spine. Id. The sponge serves to bind the bone graft substitute, and resorbs over time. Id. ¶ 58. As the sponge dissolves, the bone graft substitute stimulates the production of new bone. Id.

Infuse is a Class III medical device. Id. ¶ 65. Accordingly, before Medtronic could market Infuse, it was required to submit a Premarket Approval Application (“PMA”) for approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”). Id. ¶ 65. As presented in the PMA, Infuse consists of both the LT-Cage and the bone graft component. Id. ¶ 71. In July 2002, the FDA approved Infuse for a certain spinal fusion procedure, id. ¶ 63, specifically, the anteri- or lumbar interbody fusion procedure, which involves a single-level fusion and is performed by approaching the spine from the front through an incision in the abdomen, id. ¶ 72. The approved label indicates that Infuse’s components must be used as a system, and that the bone graft component must not be used without the LT-Cage. Id. 174.

Infuse has never been approved by the FDA for use in any other parts of the body or any other type of procedure (other than two non-spinal uses), id. ¶ 76, due to the number of adverse events resulting from the use of the bone graft substitute in off-label applications, id. ¶ 80. For example, in a trial examining the application of the. bone graft substitute to posterior lumbar interbody fixation, a number of patients developed uncontrolled bone growth. Id. Further, the FDA admonished Medtronic to guard against the off-label use of Infuse. Id. ¶¶ 84-86.

Despite being aware of the FDA’s concerns regarding the off-label use of Infuse, Medtronic nevertheless sold the LT-Cage and the bone graft component separately. Id. ¶ 75. Moreover, not only did Medtronic intentionally conceal from the general public, the dangers of the off-label use of Infuse, id. ¶¶ 114-15, it actively promoted the off-label use of Infuse through its sales representatives and spine surgeon consultants, id. ¶ 132-38.

In October 2006, Dr. John Small performed a surgery on Ms. Byrnes using Infuse in an off-label manner. Id. ¶ 248. Specifically, Dr. Small implanted Infuse by means of a posterior approach lumbar fusion, and did not use the requisite LT-Cage. Id. Ms. Byrne subsequently suffered and reported increasingly severe pain. Id. ¶ 250. Imaging studies ultimately revealed that Ms. Byrnes had developed uncontrolled bone growth and [1294]*1294nerve compression near where Infuse had been implanted. Id. ¶¶ 251.

In the Complaint, Ms. Byrnes asserts, inter alia, that Medtronic is liable for: (1) fraudulent misrepresentation and fraud in the inducement (First Cause of Action) (2) strict products liability — failure to warn (Second Cause of Action); (3) strict products liability — design defect (Third Cause of Action); (4) strict products liability— misrepresentation (Fourth Cause of Action); (5) products liability — negligence (Fifth Cause of Action); and (6) breach of express warranty (Sixth Cause of Action). Id. ¶¶ 264-348. Ms. Byrnes’ husband, Matthew Byrnes, also asserts' against Medtoonic a claim for loss of consortium (Ninth Cause of Action). Id. ¶¶ 378-79.

Medtronic now moves to dismiss the Causes of Action asserted against it, arguing that they are preempted by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. § 301 et seq. (“FDCA”). Specifically, Medtronic argues that all of Ms. Byrnes’ claims, with the possible exception of those alleging affirmative fraud, are either expressly preempted by the Medical Device Amendments to the FDCA (“MDA”), or impliedly preempted by 21 U.S.C. § 337(a). Medtronic also argues that, to the extent Ms. Byrnes’ claims are premised on affirmative fraud, they must be dismissed because they have not been pleaded with requisite particularity. Med-tronic finally argues that Mr. Byrnes’ loss of consortium claim, as well as Plaintiffs’ request for punitive damages, must fail because all of Ms. Byrnes’ claims fail.

II. LEGAL STANDARD

To survive a motion to dismiss, a pleading must include a “short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 677-78, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (quoting Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(a)(2)). Labels, conclusions and formulaic recitations of the elements of a cause of action are not sufficient. Id. (citing Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007)). Furthermore, mere naked assertions are not sufficient. Id. A

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
60 F. Supp. 3d 1289, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33555, 2015 WL 1243219, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/byrnes-v-small-flmd-2015.