Reported Reactions

Devices › Permanent defibrillator electrodes

Device brand name · Defibrillation lead

Riata Active Fixation: medical device reports filed with FDA

13,753 reports name it, 2006–2026. Manufacturer given most often on reports: St Jude Medical Cardiac Rhythm Management Division. Product code NVY.

13,753
device reports naming the brand
0.1% of all MAUDE reports · about 671 a year
96
reports, 12 months to August 2026
162 in the 12 months before
46.8%
classified as malfunction
41.2% across the product code
1.8%
classified as death, as reported
249 reports · not verified by FDA

13,753 medical device reports received by FDA name the brand "Riata Active Fixation" (defibrillation lead); the manufacturer given most often on reports is St Jude Medical Cardiac Rhythm Management Division; received from January 2006 to August 2026. Brand names are as the reporter or manufacturer wrote them, so one product can appear under several spellings.

96 reports arrived in the 12 months to August 2026, down 41% from 162 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 injury (51.3%), malfunction (46.8%) and death (1.8%); across all permanent defibrillator electrodes reports (product code NVY) death is recorded in 2.2% and malfunction in 41.2%. Event type is the reporter's classification of the report, not a verified outcome.

The device problems coded most often are break (41.7%), over-sensing (24.8%) and high impedance (11.4%). The patient problems coded most often are failure of implant, shock from patient lead(s) and surgical procedure. 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

01632Sep 2021: 26Oct 2021: 19Nov 2021: 20Dec 2021: 322022Jan 2022: 23Feb 2022: 17Mar 2022: 29Apr 2022: 23May 2022: 13Jun 2022: 18Jul 2022: 20Aug 2022: 28Sep 2022: 17Oct 2022: 20Nov 2022: 16Dec 2022: 162023Jan 2023: 14Feb 2023: 22Mar 2023: 24Apr 2023: 17May 2023: 17Jun 2023: 20Jul 2023: 16Aug 2023: 15Sep 2023: 15Oct 2023: 12Nov 2023: 25Dec 2023: 122024Jan 2024: 15Feb 2024: 9Mar 2024: 18Apr 2024: 20May 2024: 11Jun 2024: 12Jul 2024: 15Aug 2024: 11Sep 2024: 17Oct 2024: 13Nov 2024: 18Dec 2024: 102025Jan 2025: 9Feb 2025: 16Mar 2025: 7Apr 2025: 25May 2025: 11Jun 2025: 12Jul 2025: 12Aug 2025: 12Sep 2025: 13Oct 2025: 10Nov 2025: 6Dec 2025: 82026Jan 2026: 10Feb 2026: 9Mar 2026: 12Apr 2026: 7May 2026: 4Jun 2026: 9Jul 2026: 4Aug 2026: 4

Reports by the month FDA received them. FDA releases MAUDE data monthly; reports can arrive months after an event, so the newest months grow in later releases.

By year received

01,2232,4462006: 1320062007: 442008: 1342009: 42520092010: 4812011: 7142012: 2,44620122013: 2,0332014: 1,9632015: 1,29320152016: 9352017: 7572018: 55320182019: 4802020: 3282021: 33620212022: 2402023: 2092024: 16920242025: 1412026: 59

Event type and report source

Event type, as classified on the report

Death1.8%249
Injury51.3%7,050
Malfunction46.8%6,443
Other0%0
Not given0.1%11

Who filed the report

Manufacturer report100%13,750
Voluntary report0%0
User facility report0%0
Distributor report0%0
Not given0%3

Grey bar: all 138,578 reports carrying product code NVY. Event type is the filer's classification and is not verified by FDA.

Device problems coded

Device problem (FDA code)ReportsShareShare across product code
Breakthe device broke5,73941.7%8.8%
Over-sensing3,40924.8%22.8%
High impedance1,56211.4%20%
Inappropriate/inadequate shock/stimulation1,2799.3%8.5%
Low impedance1,2278.9%6%
High capture threshold9937.2%8.1%
Fracturea broken bone6234.5%5.4%
Signal artifact/noise5704.1%6.6%
Nonstandard device3632.6%0.5%
Failure to capture3362.4%8.1%
Naturally worn2992.2%0.5%
Impedance problem2501.8%3.1%
Noise1571.1%0.1%
High sensing threshold1561.1%0.3%
Capturing problem1551.1%3.7%
Low sensing threshold1431%1.1%
Decreased sensitivity1371%2%
Device operates differently than expectedthe device behaved unexpectedly1351%0.6%
Device sensing problem1210.9%5%
Invalid sensing750.5%0.1%

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
Failure of implant5413.9%
Shock from patient lead(s)4513.3%
Surgical procedure2621.9%
Deaththe patient died; cause not stated by this term2381.7%
Therapeutic effects, unexpected930.7%
Cardiac perforation840.6%
Ventricular fibrillationa chaotic rhythm from the lower heart chambers750.5%
Syncopefainting690.5%
Device overstimulation of tissue620.5%
Discomfortdiscomfort480.3%
Foreign body in patientpart of a device left in the patient470.3%
Ventricular tachycardiaa fast rhythm from the lower heart chambers470.3%
Arrhythmia460.3%
Dizzinesslight-headedness or unsteadiness400.3%
Cardiac arrestthe heart stopped300.2%

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

In context

MeasureRiata Active FixationProduct code NVYAll MAUDE reports
Reports13,753138,57826,136,888
Share of that pool—9.9%0.1%
Classified as death, per 1,000 reports18229
Classified as injury51.3%56.5%36.2%
Classified as malfunction46.8%41.2%62.3%
Filed by the manufacturer100%97.3%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 NVY

BrandReportsLatest 12 monthsClassified as death
Durata Sts Optim Active Fixation Df-4 Connector27,8281,7843.9%
Endotak Reliance25,8972381.2%
Sprint Quattro Secure MRI SureScan15,6061,9031.4%
Optisure Active Fixation Df-4 Connector6,5626234.3%
Endotak Reliance Sg8,2881,0830.5%
Sprint Quattro Secure24,23725.2%
Riata St Active Fixation5,416762.2%
Reliance 4-Front9,8522,0240.4%
Isoflex Optim Lead7,8894372%
Durata Sts Optim Active Fixation9,6813015.6%
Riata Passive Fixation4,318321.2%
Endotak Reliance G10,1151,0490.6%
Plexa ProMRI S 652,5212450.6%
Permanent Defibrillator Electrodes2,5242300.6%
Epsila EV MRI SureScan1,8691,0231%

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 Riata Active Fixation reports

How many FDA reports name Riata Active Fixation?

13,753 medical device reports in the openFDA MAUDE release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through August 2026; 96 in the latest 12 months.

What kinds of events are reported?

injury (51.3%), malfunction (46.8%) and death (1.8%). "Event type" is how the report was classified when filed: death, injury, malfunction or other.

What device problems are coded?

break (41.7%), over-sensing (24.8%), high impedance (11.4%), inappropriate/inadequate shock/stimulation (9.3%) and low impedance (8.9%). 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 Riata Active Fixation 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.