AngioDynamics Port Catheter Lawsuit Claims Woman’s SmartPort Implants Caused Multiple Infections

Lawsuit alleges AngioDynamics sold port catheters prone to serious complications without adequately warning physicians or patients.

A Georgia woman has filed an AngioDynamics port catheter lawsuit after suffering repeated infections from two separate SmartPort implants, which caused her to undergo multiple surgeries to remove and replace the allegedly defective port catheters.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Britney Schettini in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California on June 15, naming AngioDynamics Inc. and Navilyst Medical Inc. as defendants.

Schettini claims AngioDynamics and Navilyst Medical knew their implantable port catheters carried an elevated risk of infection and other serious complications, yet they failed to adopt safer designs or adequately warn physicians and patients. 

AngioDynamics Port Catheter Problems

AngioDynamics manufactures several implantable port catheter systems, including the SmartPort, Vortex Port and Xcela, which are designed to provide long-term access to a patient’s bloodstream for repeated delivery of medications, chemotherapy, fluids and other treatments. Each system consists of a port implanted beneath the skin that connects to a catheter inserted into a vein.

In recent years, AngioDynamics and other port catheter manufacturers, including C.R. Bard, have faced mounting allegations that their devices are prone to serious complications, including infections, blood clots, catheter fractures and other failures. According to plaintiffs, defects in the catheter materials and design can allow biofilm and blood products to accumulate on degraded surfaces, increasing the risk of dangerous medical complications.

As a result, a growing number of AngioDynamics port catheter lawsuits have been filed by patients nationwide. The complaints allege the company knew its devices carried an elevated risk of failure but continued to market them without adequate warnings.

SmartPort Infection Allegations

According to this new filing, Schettini underwent implantation of her first AngioDynamics SmartPort device at AdventHealth in Orlando on May 20, 2024, to provide long-term vascular access for medical treatment. About one month later, she was diagnosed with an infection and doctors recommended removing the implanted port.

The complaint indicates the first SmartPort was surgically removed on July 7, 2024, and replaced with another AngioDynamics SmartPort eight days later. However, the replacement device also became infected, resulting in another diagnosis on Christmas Day 2024, that was initially treated with antibiotics before the infection returned in March 2025.

The filing states doctors ultimately recommended removing the second SmartPort as well, which occurred on March 27, 2025.

Schettini alleges both devices were defectively designed and manufactured, leaving them prone to bacterial growth and infection.

The complaint contends the SmartPort catheter contains polyurethane or silicone mixed with barium sulfate to make the device visible on medical imaging. According to the lawsuit, excessive concentrations of barium sulfate and defects in the manufacturing process can create microscopic cracks and an irregular catheter surface that promotes biofilm formation, increasing the risk of infection and other serious complications.

“As a result of the Defendants’ actions and inactions, Plaintiff was injured due to the use of the SmartPort, which has caused and will continue to cause Plaintiff’s various physical, mental, and emotional injuries and damages, and to incur substantial medical bills due to the defective product that was implanted in her body.”

— Britney Schettini v. AngioDynamics Inc. et al.

Schettini raises allegations of negligence, design defect, manufacturing defect, failure to warn, breach of implied warranty, breach of express warranty, fraudulent concealment, and violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. She seeks general and punitive damages for past, present and future medical expenses.

Port Catheter Lawsuits

The case joins hundreds of other AngioDynamics port catheter lawsuits pending in federal multidistrict litigation before U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta in the Southern District of California, where the litigation has been centralized for coordinated proceedings to streamline discovery and resolve common pretrial issues involving similar claims against the manufacturer.

As the litigation moves forward, the parties will prepare a small group of representative cases for early bellwether trials. While the outcomes will apply only to the individual plaintiffs involved, the proceedings are expected to provide insight into how juries may evaluate evidence and testimony common to lawsuits throughout the MDL. This could wind up influencing future AngioDynamics port catheter settlement negotiations.

Similar allegations have also been raised in thousands of Bard PowerPort lawsuits pending before U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell in the District of Arizona. Those cases likewise allege the implantable port catheters were defectively designed and manufactured, making them susceptible to cracking, thrombosis, infections and other serious complications.

The first Bard PowerPort bellwether trial ended last month with a mixed result. Jurors rejected claims that Bard failed to provide adequate warnings or committed consumer fraud. However, they were unable to reach a unanimous decision on allegations that the port catheter was defectively designed or that the company violated state consumer protection laws. The plaintiff in that case has asked for a new trial, arguing the jury was given improper instructions that led to the verdict. 

Additional Bard PowerPort bellwether trials are scheduled to begin on July 7, August 18, October 13, December 1 and February 2, 2027. If those proceedings do not lead to settlements or another resolution of the litigation, individual lawsuits may eventually be remanded to federal district courts nationwide for separate trials.

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