Reported Reactions

Devices › Instrument, ultrasonic surgical

Device brand name · Ultrasonic-surgery devices - reusab

Harmonic Scalpel Ultracision Hand Piece: medical device reports filed with FDA

1,677 reports name it, 2000–2002. Manufacturer given most often on reports: Ethicon Endo-Surgery. Product code LFL.

1,677
device reports naming the brand
0% of all MAUDE reports · about 64 a year
0
reports, 12 months to August 2026
0 in the 12 months before
98.2%
classified as malfunction
94.9% across the product code
0.1%
classified as death, as reported
1 reports · not verified by FDA

1,677 medical device reports received by FDA name the brand "Harmonic Scalpel Ultracision Hand Piece" (ultrasonic-surgery devices - reusab); the manufacturer given most often on reports is Ethicon Endo-Surgery; received from April 2000 to September 2002. Brand names are as the reporter or manufacturer wrote them, so one product can appear under several spellings.

0 reports arrived in the 12 months to August 2026, and none in the 12 months before. FDA releases MAUDE data monthly; reports can arrive months after an event, so the newest months grow in later releases. The event types recorded are malfunction (98.2%), injury (0.3%) and death (0.1%); across all instrument, ultrasonic surgical reports (product code LFL) death is recorded in 0.1% and malfunction in 94.9%. Event type is the reporter's classification of the report, not a verified outcome.

The device problems coded most often are replace (62%), sticking (38%) and noise (25%). The patient problems coded most often are surgery, prolonged, surgical procedure, additional and failure to anastomose. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data."

Reports by month, five years

No report naming Harmonic Scalpel Ultracision Hand Piece was received in the five years to August 2026; the latest was received in September 2002.

By year received

05301,0602000: 42620002001: 1,06020012002: 1912002

Event type and report source

Event type, as classified on the report

Death0.1%1
Injury0.3%5
Malfunction98.2%1,646
Other0.1%1
Not given1.4%24

Who filed the report

Manufacturer report100%1,677
Voluntary report0%0
User facility report0%0
Distributor report0%0
Not given0%0

Grey bar: all 68,457 reports carrying product code LFL. Event type is the filer's classification and is not verified by FDA.

Device problems coded

Device problem (FDA code)ReportsShareShare across product code
Replace1,03962%13.3%
Sticking63838%2.4%
Noise42025%2%
Device issuea problem with the device19511.6%3.9%
Loss of powerthe device lost power995.9%0.8%
Device inoperablethe device could not be used865.1%3.1%
Abnormal784.7%0.2%
Component(s), broken643.8%1.7%
Failure, intermittent392.3%0.3%
Other (for use when an appropriate device code cannot be identified)392.3%0.3%
Overheating of device382.3%1.2%
Nonstandard device362.1%0.1%
Malfunction352.1%0.4%
Mechanical problema mechanical problem321.9%1%
System fails to activate271.6%0.7%
Breakthe device broke181.1%20.5%
Heat181.1%0.2%
Cautery120.7%0%
Defective devicethe device was defective120.7%0.6%
False alarm110.7%0%

FDA's device problem codes as entered on the report; one report can carry several. Generic codes such as "no apparent adverse event" are left out.

Patient problems coded

Patient problem (FDA code)ReportsShare
Surgery, prolonged261.6%
Surgical procedure, additional201.2%
Failure to anastomose80.5%
Electric shockan electric shock20.1%
Surgical procedure20.1%
Therapy/non-surgical treatment, additional20.1%
Bleeding10.1%
Blood loss10.1%
Burn, thermal10.1%
Deaththe patient died; cause not stated by this term10.1%
Device induced10.1%
Foreign body, removal of10.1%
Hemorrhage/blood loss/bleeding10.1%
Laparotomy10.1%
Numbnessnumbness10.1%

Patient problem codes are present mainly in reports filed since 2019 and are often blank.

In context

MeasureHarmonic Scalpel Ultracision Hand PieceProduct code LFLAll MAUDE reports
Reports1,67768,45726,136,888
Share of that pool—2.4%0%
Classified as death, per 1,000 reports119
Classified as injury0.3%4.5%36.2%
Classified as malfunction98.2%94.9%62.3%
Filed by the manufacturer100%96.8%94.9%

Shares are of reports, not of devices in use. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data."

Other brands with product code LFL

BrandReportsLatest 12 monthsClassified as death
Ultracision Harmonic Ace9,35800%
Harmonic Ace Plus 7 Adv Hemostasis 366,8315370%
Harmonic Hd 1000i Shears 36cm Shaft5,0331960%
Harmonic Lap 5mm Shear 36cm2,720880%
Harmonic Ace 36 Cm2,59800.1%
Harmonic Ace 36cm W Erg Handle2,34100%
Sonicision1,8091390.2%
SONICBEAT 5 mm, 35 cm, Front-actuated Grip1,6403730%
Harmonic ACE1,6366800.1%
Harmonic 1100 Shears 36cm1,4342030.1%
Ultracision Harmonic Scalpel Hand Piece1,43000%
Harmonic Scalpel Hand Piece1,365230%
Ultracision Surg Dev Curved Shears Endo1,58600%
Harmonic Scalpel Ultracision Laparosonic Coagulating She1,06700.1%
Harmonic Ace + 795700.2%

Ordered by report count for navigation only. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data." FDA also states that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product."

Questions about Harmonic Scalpel Ultracision Hand Piece reports

How many FDA reports name Harmonic Scalpel Ultracision Hand Piece?

1,677 medical device reports in the openFDA MAUDE release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through August 2026; 0 in the latest 12 months.

What kinds of events are reported?

malfunction (98.2%), injury (0.3%) and death (0.1%). "Event type" is how the report was classified when filed: death, injury, malfunction or other.

What device problems are coded?

replace (62%), sticking (38%), noise (25%), device issue (11.6%) and loss of power (5.9%). These are FDA's device problem codes as entered on the report.

Who files these reports?

manufacturer reports (100%). Manufacturers and user facilities are required to report; voluntary reports come from health professionals and the public.

Do these reports show that Harmonic Scalpel Ultracision Hand Piece was at fault?

No. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data." FDA adds that "a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report."

How do I report a problem with a medical device?

Through FDA MedWatch (Form FDA 3500 for health professionals and consumers), or to the manufacturer. See the guide on how to report.

Where this comes from. Counts are built from the openFDA Device Adverse Event (MAUDE) bulk export released 28 Sep 2026, which holds reports FDA received through 31 Aug 2026. Brand, generic and manufacturer names are as written on the reports; product code names come from FDA's device classification. A report counts here when any device it lists carries this brand name after punctuation and capitalisation are normalised. No report narrative, lot number, patient detail or reporter identity is published. See the methodology and sources; FDA's record is authoritative, and corrections are handled within five working days.

Drug data (FAERS) through 30 Jun 2026; device data (MAUDE) through 31 Aug 2026. Not medical advice.