Port Catheter Sepsis Lawsuit Claims Defective SmartPort Implant Caused Infection

Hundreds of AngioDynamics port catheter lawsuits allege defects in the devices increase the risk of bloodstream infections, blood clots, catheter fractures and other serious complications.

A New York man has filed a port catheter sepsis lawsuit alleging a defective AngioDynamics SmartPort implant caused a serious bloodstream infection, forcing additional medical treatment after it was implanted to provide chemotherapy access.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Eastwood Mannan in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California on July 10, naming AngioDynamics Inc. and Navilyst Medical Inc. as defendants.

Mannan claims the manufacturers knew their implantable port catheter systems were associated with infections, thrombosis and other serious complications, yet failed to adequately test, redesign or warn physicians and patients about the risks. 

SmartPort Catheter Infection Risks

Implantable port catheters are placed beneath the skin to provide long-term access to a patient’s bloodstream for chemotherapy, medications, blood transfusions and other intravenous therapies. Devices such as the AngioDynamics SmartPort, Vortex Port and Xcela consist of a small implanted port connected to a catheter that delivers fluids directly into a vein.

In recent years, AngioDynamics and other manufacturers, including C.R. Bard, have faced hundreds of product liability lawsuits alleging port catheter systems caused serious complications such as bloodstream infections, blood clots, catheter fractures and vascular injuries. The complaints allege certain design and manufacturing defects allow the catheter material to degrade over time, creating a surface where bacteria and blood components can accumulate and increasing the likelihood of infection and other adverse events.

Patients pursuing AngioDynamics port catheter lawsuits claim the manufacturer knew or should have known about these risks, but continued marketing and selling the devices without adequately warning physicians and patients about the potential for failure.

SmartPort Sepsis Lawsuit Allegations

According to the lawsuit, Mannan underwent implantation of an AngioDynamics SmartPort catheter on July 25, 2025, at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford, Oregon, for ongoing chemotherapy treatment.

The complaint alleges the SmartPort was defectively designed and manufactured, making it prone to surface degradation, thrombosis and bacterial colonization that can lead to bloodstream infections and other serious complications.

Mannan indicates he sought treatment at Guthrie Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton, New York, on January 27, 2026, after developing a persistent fever and swelling in his right arm.

Blood cultures drawn from the SmartPort tested positive for sepsis, while imaging revealed a partially occlusive thrombus where Mannan’s right internal jugular and subclavian veins meet.

The lawsuit alleges the SmartPort had been implanted and used as intended, and that no misuse or alteration of the device contributed to the complications.

Mannan claims AngioDynamics and Navilyst knew for years that SmartPort devices were associated with bloodstream infections, thrombosis, catheter fractures, vascular perforations and other serious complications, yet continued marketing the devices as safe and effective.

The complaint further alleges the manufacturers concealed adverse event reports involving SmartPort failures and failed to adequately test, redesign or warn physicians and patients about the risks associated with the implanted catheter.

Mannan argues that safer alternative designs were available which could have reduced the risk of thrombosis, bacterial colonization and other device failures.

“As a direct and proximate result of the defective SmartPort and the wrongful acts and omissions of the Defendants as alleged herein, Plaintiff was injured due to the use of the SmartPort, which caused Plaintiff various physical, mental, and emotional injuries and damages.”

— Eastwood Mannan v. AngioDynamics Inc. et al.

The filing raises allegations of negligence, strict products liability—failure to warn, design defect, breach of implied warranty, breach of express warranty, fraudulent concealment and violation of New York General Business laws. It seeks punitive, exemplary and general damages.

Port Catheter Lawsuits

Mannan’s lawsuit joins hundreds of other AngioDynamics port catheter cases pending before U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta in the Southern District of California, where coordinated discovery and other pretrial proceedings are underway involving claims that the company sold defective implantable port systems.

As part of the coordinated proceedings, the court is expected to select a small group of representative cases for bellwether trials. While the outcomes of those early cases will not be binding on other plaintiffs, they are intended to help the parties evaluate how juries may respond to common evidence and allegations, which could affect future AngioDynamics port catheter settlement discussions.

Similar allegations are also being raised in thousands of Bard PowerPort lawsuits pending before U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell in the District of Arizona. Those complaints contend the implantable port systems contain design and manufacturing defects that increase the risk of catheter fractures, blood clots, infections and other serious complications.

The first Bard PowerPort bellwether trial concluded in May with a mixed outcome. Jurors rejected claims involving failure to warn and consumer fraud, but were unable to reach a unanimous verdict on the design defect allegations. The plaintiff has since requested a new trial, arguing the jury instructions improperly influenced the deliberations.

Additional Bard PowerPort bellwether trials are scheduled throughout 2027. If those proceedings and any settlement discussions do not resolve the claims, individual lawsuits may ultimately be returned to the federal courts where they were originally filed for separate trials.

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