inforMED
MalfunctionHTZ

ROD CUTTER 3.5 AND 4.0 RODS

Received Apr 6, 2026 · Event occurred Mar 18, 2026

Report 1526439-2026-00332 · MDR key 24793752

Device

Generic name

Instrument, Cutting, Orthopedic

Manufacturer

Depuy Spine Inc

Catalog number

202000135

Lot number

GS741841

Product problems

  • Break

Patient

NA · Unknown

  • No Clinical Signs, Symptoms or Conditions

Narrative

Additional Manufacturer Narrative

DEPUY SYNTHES IS SUBMITTING THIS REPORT PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF 21 CFR, PART 803. THIS REPORT MAY BE BASED ON INFORMATION WHICH DEPUY SYNTHES HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO INVESTIGATE OR VERIFY PRIOR TO THE REQUIRED REPORTING DATE. THIS REPORT DOES NOT REFLECT A CONCLUSION BY FDA, DEPUY SYNTHES OR ITS EMPLOYEES THAT THE REPORT CONSTITUTES AN ADMISSION THAT THE DEVICE, DEPUY SYNTHES, OR ITS EMPLOYEES CAUSED OR CONTRIBUTED TO THE POTENTIAL EVENT DESCRIBED IN THIS REPORT. H11 ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE: H3, H6: PHOTO INVESTIGATION: THE PRODUCT WAS NOT RETURNED TO DEPUY SYNTHES, HOWEVER PHOTOS WERE PROVIDED FOR REVIEW. THE PHOTO INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ROD CUTTER 3.5 AND 4.0 RODS HAD BROKEN. THE OBSERVED CONDITION OF THE DEVICE WAS CONSIST WITH A RANDOM COMPONENT FAILURE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY EXPOSURE TO UNINTENDED FORCE. SINCE THE DEVICE WAS NOT RETURNED, A DIMENSIONAL INSPECTION CANNOT BE PERFORMED. THE OVERALL COMPLAINT WAS CONFIRMED AS THE OBSERVED CONDITION OF THE ROD CUTTER 3.5 AND 4.0 RODS WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMPLAINED DEVICE ISSUE. BASED ON THE INVESTIGATION FINDINGS, POTENTIAL CAUSE ATTRIBUTED TO COMPONENT FAILURE AND IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT NO CORRECTIVE AND/OR PREVENTATIVE ACTION IS PROPOSED. THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING ISSUE HAS CAUSED THE COMPLAINT CONDITION. AS PART OF DEPUY SYNTHES QUALITY PROCESS, ALL DEVICES ARE MANUFACTURED, INSPECTED, AND RELEASED TO APPROVED SPECIFICATIONS. ADDITIONAL MONITORING FOR ANY POTENTIAL SAFETY SIGNALS WILL BE CONDUCTED THROUGH COMPLAINT TRENDING AND OTHER POST-MARKET SAFETY SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES. PRODUCT RETURNED INVESTIGATION: THE PRODUCT WAS RETURNED TO DEPUY SYNTHES FOR EVALUATION. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE RETURNED DEVICE FOUND THAT THE ONE OF THE JAWS OF THE ROD CUTTER 3.5 AND 4.0 RODS IS BROKEN. THE BROKEN FRAGMENTS WERE NOT RETURNED FOR INSPECTION. THE OBSERVED CONDITION OF THE DEVICE WAS CONSISTENT WITH A RANDOM COMPONENT FAILURE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY EXPOSURE TO UNINTENDED FORCES. PROPERLY HANDLING AND ATTENTION TO THE APPROVED USE OF THE DEVICE DIMINISHES THE RISK OF FAILURE. A FUNCTIONAL TEST WAS NOT PERFORMED SINCE IT WAS NOT APPLICABLE TO THE COMPLAINT CONDITION. A DIMENSIONAL INSPECTION WAS NOT PERFORMED SINCE IT WAS NOT APPLICABLE TO THE COMPLAINT CONDITION. THE OVERALL COMPLAINT WAS CONFIRMED AS THE OBSERVED CONDITION OF THE ROD CUTTER 3.5 AND 4.0 RODS WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE COMPLAINED ISSUE. BASED ON THE INVESTIGATION FINDINGS, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT NO CORRECTIVE AND/OR PREVENTATIVE ACTION IS REQUIRED. THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING ISSUE HAS CAUSED THE REPORTED COMPLAINT CONDITION. AS PART OF DEPUY SYNTHES QUALITY PROCESS, ALL DEVICES ARE MANUFACTURED, INSPECTED, AND RELEASED TO APPROVED SPECIFICATIONS. ADDITIONAL MONITORING FOR ANY POTENTIAL SAFETY SIGNALS WILL BE CONDUCTED THROUGH COMPLAINT TRENDING AND OTHER POST-MARKET SAFETY SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES. DEVICE HISTORY LOT: A REVIEW OF THE RECEIVING INSPECTION (RI) FOR ROD CUTTER 3.5 AND 4.0 RODS, WAS CONDUCTED IDENTIFYING THAT LOT NUMBER GS741841 WAS RELEASED IN TWO BATCHES. BATCH 1: LOT QTY OF (B)(4) WERE RELEASED ON APR 30, 2020 WITH NO DISCREPANCIES. BATCH 2: LOT QTY OF (B)(4) WERE RELEASED ON AUG 31, 2020 WITH NO DISCREPANCIES. SUPPLIER: (B)(4). AS A RESULT, THE RI IDENTIFIED NO ISSUES DURING THE MANUFACTURING AND RELEASE OF THIS DEVICE THAT COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROBLEM REPORTED BY THE CUSTOMER. DEVICE HISTORY REVIEW: AS A RESULT, THE RI IDENTIFIED NO ISSUES DURING THE MANUFACTURING AND RELEASE OF THIS DEVICE THAT COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROBLEM REPORTED BY THE CUSTOMER. IF INFORMATION IS OBTAINED THAT WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE INITIAL MEDWATCH, A FOLLOW-UP MEDWATCH WILL BE FILED AS APPROPRIATE.

Additional Manufacturer Narrative

DEPUY SYNTHES IS SUBMITTING THIS REPORT PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF 21 CFR, PART 803. THIS REPORT MAY BE BASED ON INFORMATION WHICH DEPUY SYNTHES HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO INVESTIGATE OR VERIFY PRIOR TO THE REQUIRED REPORTING DATE. THIS REPORT DOES NOT REFLECT A CONCLUSION BY FDA, DEPUY SYNTHES OR ITS EMPLOYEES THAT THE REPORT CONSTITUTES AN ADMISSION THAT THE DEVICE, DEPUY SYNTHES, OR ITS EMPLOYEES CAUSED OR CONTRIBUTED TO THE POTENTIAL EVENT DESCRIBED IN THIS REPORT. IF THE INFORMATION IS UNKNOWN, NOT AVAILABLE OR DOES NOT APPLY, THE SECTION/FIELD OF THE FORM IS LEFT BLANK. H11 ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE: ADDED: H4. H3, H6: PHOTO INVESTIGATION: THE PRODUCT WAS NOT RETURNED TO DEPUY SYNTHES; HOWEVER PHOTOS WERE PROVIDED FOR REVIEW. THE PHOTO INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ROD CUTTER 3.5 AND 4.0 RODS HAD BROKEN. THE OBSERVED CONDITION OF THE DEVICE WAS CONSIST WITH A RANDOM COMPONENT FAILURE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY EXPOSURE TO UNINTENDED FORCE. SINCE THE DEVICE WAS NOT RETURNED, A DIMENSIONAL INSPECTION CANNOT BE PERFORMED. THE OVERALL COMPLAINT WAS CONFIRMED AS THE OBSERVED CONDITION OF THE ROD CUTTER 3.5 AND 4.0 RODS WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMPLAINED DEVICE ISSUE. BASED ON THE INVESTIGATION FINDINGS, POTENTIAL CAUSE ATTRIBUTED TO COMPONENT FAILURE AND IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT NO CORRECTIVE AND/OR PREVENTATIVE ACTION IS PROPOSED. THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING ISSUE HAS CAUSED THE COMPLAINT CONDITION. AS PART OF DEPUY SYNTHES QUALITY PROCESS, ALL DEVICES ARE MANUFACTURED, INSPECTED, AND RELEASED TO APPROVED SPECIFICATIONS. ADDITIONAL MONITORING FOR ANY POTENTIAL SAFETY SIGNALS WILL BE CONDUCTED THROUGH COMPLAINT TRENDING AND OTHER POST-MARKET SAFETY SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES. DEVICE HISTORY LOT: THE DEVICE LOT NUMBER IS UNKNOWN; THEREFORE A DEVICE HISTORY REVIEW COULD NOT BE PERFORMED. IF THE LOT/SERIAL NUMBER BECOMES AVAILABLE, THE RECORD WILL BE RE-ASSESSED. IF INFORMATION IS OBTAINED THAT WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE INITIAL MEDWATCH, A FOLLOW-UP MEDWATCH WILL BE FILED AS APPROPRIATE.

Description of Event or Problem

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RECEIVED: A. WHAT IS THE TIMING OF THE REPORTED EVENT? (PRE-OP, INTRA-OP, POST-OP) A. DURING PRE OP.

Additional Manufacturer Narrative

DEPUY SYNTHES IS SUBMITTING THIS REPORT PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF 21 CFR, PART 803. THIS REPORT MAY BE BASED ON INFORMATION WHICH DEPUY SYNTHES HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO INVESTIGATE OR VERIFY PRIOR TO THE REQUIRED REPORTING DATE. THIS REPORT DOES NOT REFLECT A CONCLUSION BY FDA, DEPUY SYNTHES OR ITS EMPLOYEES THAT THE REPORT CONSTITUTES AN ADMISSION THAT THE DEVICE, DEPUY SYNTHES, OR ITS EMPLOYEES CAUSED OR CONTRIBUTED TO THE POTENTIAL EVENT DESCRIBED IN THIS REPORT. IF THE INFORMATION IS UNKNOWN, NOT AVAILABLE OR DOES NOT APPLY, THE SECTION/FIELD OF THE FORM IS LEFT BLANK. H11 ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE: ADDED: B5, D9. CORRECTED: G1. THE DEVICE WAS RECEIVED, THE INVESTIGATION IS IN PROGRESS, NO CONCLUSION COULD BE DRAWN AT THE TIME OF FILING THIS REPORT. IF INFORMATION IS OBTAINED THAT WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE INITIAL MEDWATCH, A FOLLOW-UP MEDWATCH WILL BE FILED AS APPROPRIATE.

Description of Event or Problem

THE SURGEON WAS ATTEMPTING TO CUT A 4.0MM PRE-BENT OC FUSION ROD WITH THE SYMPHONY ROD CUTTER WHEN THE JAWS OF THE ROD CUTTER BROKE. THE PIECES WERE RECOVERED. NO PIECES/FRAGMENTS OF THE ROD CUTTER ENTERED THE PATIENT SINCE THE ATTEMPTED CUTTING OF THE ROD WAS DONE ON THE BACK TABLE, AWAY FROM THE PATIENT. THERE WAS NO PATIENT OR USER HARM.

Additional Manufacturer Narrative

PRODUCT COMPLAINT #(B)(4). THIS REPORT IS BEING SUBMITTED PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF 21 CFR, PART 803 (AND/OR PART 4, AS APPLICABLE). THIS REPORT MAY BE BASED ON INFORMATION WHICH HAS NOT BEEN INVESTIGATED OR VERIFIED PRIOR TO THE REQUIRED REPORTING DATE. THIS REPORT DOES NOT REFLECT A CONCLUSION BY DEPUY SYNTHES, OR ITS EMPLOYEES THAT THE REPORT CONSTITUTES AN ADMISSION THAT THE PRODUCT, DEPUY SYNTHES, OR ITS EMPLOYEES CAUSED OR CONTRIBUTED TO THE POTENTIAL EVENT DESCRIBED IN THIS REPORT. IF INFORMATION IS OBTAINED THAT WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE INITIAL REPORT, A FOLLOW-UP REPORT WILL BE FILED AS APPROPRIATE. ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE: H3, H6: THE PRODUCT WAS NOT RETURNED TO DEPUY SYNTHES, HOWEVER PHOTOS WERE RECEIVED FOR REVIEW. THE PHOTO INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ROD CUTTER 3.5 AND 4.0 RODS HAD BROKEN. THE OBSERVED CONDITION OF THE DEVICE WAS CONSIST WITH A RANDOM COMPONENT FAILURE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY EXPOSURE TO UNINTENDED FORCE. SINCE THE DEVICE WAS NOT RETURNED, A DIMENSIONAL INSPECTION CANNOT BE PERFORMED. THE OVERALL COMPLAINT WAS CONFIRMED AS THE OBSERVED CONDITION OF THE ROD CUTTER 3.5 AND 4.0 RODS WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE COMPLAINED DEVICE ISSUE. BASED ON THE INVESTIGATION FINDINGS, POTENTIAL CAUSE ATTRIBUTED TO COMPONENT FAILURE AND IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT NO CORRECTIVE AND/OR PREVENTATIVE ACTION IS PROPOSED. THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT A DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING ISSUE HAS CAUSED THE COMPLAINT CONDITION. AS PART OF DEPUY SYNTHES QUALITY PROCESS, ALL DEVICES ARE MANUFACTURED, INSPECTED, AND RELEASED TO APPROVED SPECIFICATIONS. ADDITIONAL MONITORING FOR ANY POTENTIAL SAFETY SIGNALS WILL BE CONDUCTED THROUGH COMPLAINT TRENDING AND OTHER POST-MARKET SAFETY SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES.