Heart Valve Lawsuit Alleges Abbott Trifecta GT Failed Years Earlier Than Expected

Premature failure of the Trifecta GT heart valve required a second surgery and lengthy recovery, following problems that led to the device’s removal from the market in 2023.

A California man has filed a product liability lawsuit alleging he was implanted with a Trifecta GT heart valve that failed after only eight years, despite being marketed to last approximately 15 to 20 years.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Mark Lynch in California Superior Court in Orange County on August 18, naming Abbott Laboratories and Abbott Vascular Inc. as defendants. It was removed to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on October 7.

Lynch claims he was implanted with a defective heart valve, requiring additional surgery when the device failed. His Trifecta heart valve failure came only two years after the devices were removed from the market following reports of early failures and serious complications.

Trifecta GT Heart Valve Recall

The Trifecta heart valve was an implant used to replace the aortic valve. Constructed with three flexible leaflets, mimicking the real aortic valve, the Trifecta was made of cow’s heart tissue mounted on a stent. Originally designed and placed on the market by St. Jude Medical in 2011, the Trifecta and its 2016 successor, the Trifecta GT, were absorbed by Abbott Laboratories when it acquired St. Jude in 2017.

Between 2011 and 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received about 3,000 adverse event reports of patients experiencing early Trifecta heart valve failures, well before their marketed lifespan. The agency warned they were failing at unacceptably high rates, linking the failures to nearly 200 deaths.

Abbott Laboratories pulled all Trifecta heart valves from the market in July 2023, due to concerns of premature structural valve deterioration (SVD). Several Trifecta heart valve lawsuits have been filed in recent months by individuals who suffered SVD or lost loved ones when their heart valves failed.

Trifecta Heart Valve Defect Allegations

According to the lawsuit, Lynch received the heart valve in August 2017. At that time, the Trifecta GT was marketed to last 15 to 20 years.

However, in February 2023, the FDA warned that Trifecta GT heart valve deterioration frequently occurred only three to four years after implantation. The agency advised patients already implanted with the devices to undergo annual imaging scans and heightened monitoring.

In October 2025, Lynch’s doctor warned him that his heart valve was defective and had to be removed. Lynch then underwent another heart procedure and recovery period, which the lawsuit states was due to the defective design that led to the Trifecta heart valve’s removal from the market.

“As a direct and proximate result of Defendants’ negligent conduct as alleged herein, Plaintiff Mark Lynch had to undergo another heart surgery and recovery, resulting in special and general damages in an amount according to proof at trial.”

— Mark Lynch v. Abbott Laboratories et al.

Lynch raises allegations of product liability and general negligence. He seeks restitution for medical expenses, wage loss, general damages and loss of earning capacity.

Trifecta Heart Valve Lawsuits

The complaint joins other Trifecta heart valve lawsuits by individuals, or their survivors, who say the Trifecta was defectively designed, not adequately tested, and that the manufacturer misrepresented the device’s lifespan.

Claimants also accuse Abbott of failing to report adverse events and device malfunctions to the FDA, and of continuing to market and distribute Trifecta heart valves even after knowing there was a problem with premature structural deterioration.

Attorneys are currently reviewing potential Trifecta heart valve lawsuits for individuals nationwide who have experienced premature valve failure, required revision surgery or valve replacement, or lost a loved one after their Trifecta heart valve failed.

Compensation may be available for Trifecta heart valve failures through a product liability lawsuit. Case evaluations are free and attorneys’ fees are only collected if compensation is recovered on the claimant’s behalf.

Sign up for more legal news that could affect you or your family.