Reported Reactions

Devices › Trocar

Device brand name · Transseptal needle

Transseptal Needle, BRK Series: medical device reports filed with FDA

203 reports name it, 2010–2026. Manufacturer given most often on reports: St Jude Medical. Product code DRC.

203
device reports naming the brand
0% of all MAUDE reports · about 12 a year
32
reports, 12 months to August 2026
22 in the 12 months before
2%
classified as malfunction
47.7% across the product code
5.9%
classified as death, as reported
12 reports · not verified by FDA

203 medical device reports received by FDA name the brand "Transseptal Needle, BRK Series" (transseptal needle); the manufacturer given most often on reports is St Jude Medical; received from March 2010 to August 2026. Brand names are as the reporter or manufacturer wrote them, so one product can appear under several spellings.

32 reports arrived in the 12 months to August 2026, up 45% from 22 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 (92.1%), death (5.9%) and malfunction (2%); across all trocar reports (product code DRC) death is recorded in 2.9% and malfunction in 47.7%. Event type is the reporter's classification of the report, not a verified outcome.

The device problems coded most often are difficult to insert (2%), improper or incorrect procedure or method (1%) and device contamination with body fluid (0.5%). The patient problems coded most often are cardiac perforation, arrhythmia and death. 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

0713Sep 2021: 0Oct 2021: 2Nov 2021: 1Dec 2021: 02022Jan 2022: 1Feb 2022: 2Mar 2022: 0Apr 2022: 0May 2022: 0Jun 2022: 0Jul 2022: 1Aug 2022: 1Sep 2022: 0Oct 2022: 1Nov 2022: 1Dec 2022: 12023Jan 2023: 1Feb 2023: 0Mar 2023: 0Apr 2023: 1May 2023: 1Jun 2023: 3Jul 2023: 0Aug 2023: 2Sep 2023: 3Oct 2023: 4Nov 2023: 3Dec 2023: 12024Jan 2024: 2Feb 2024: 0Mar 2024: 6Apr 2024: 2May 2024: 0Jun 2024: 1Jul 2024: 2Aug 2024: 5Sep 2024: 1Oct 2024: 3Nov 2024: 2Dec 2024: 12025Jan 2025: 2Feb 2025: 1Mar 2025: 4Apr 2025: 2May 2025: 2Jun 2025: 1Jul 2025: 2Aug 2025: 1Sep 2025: 0Oct 2025: 3Nov 2025: 3Dec 2025: 12026Jan 2026: 1Feb 2026: 2Mar 2026: 13Apr 2026: 4May 2026: 1Jun 2026: 1Jul 2026: 0Aug 2026: 3

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

013252010: 320102011: 32012: 320122014: 42015: 820152016: 82017: 1420172018: 72019: 1520192020: 242021: 1520212022: 82023: 1920232024: 252025: 2220252026: 25

Event type and report source

Event type, as classified on the report

Death5.9%12
Injury92.1%187
Malfunction2%4
Other0%0
Not given0%0

Who filed the report

Manufacturer report100%203
Voluntary report0%0
User facility report0%0
Distributor report0%0
Not given0%0

Grey bar: all 2,003 reports carrying product code DRC. Event type is the filer's classification and is not verified by FDA.

Device problems coded

Device problem (FDA code)ReportsShareShare across product code
Difficult to insertthe device was hard to insert42%3%
Improper or incorrect procedure or method21%0.5%
Device contamination with body fluid10.5%0.2%
Fracturea broken bone10.5%1.4%
Material puncture/hole10.5%0.5%
Off-label use10.5%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
Cardiac perforation13868%
Arrhythmia42%
Deaththe patient died; cause not stated by this term42%
Great vessel perforation42%
Pseudoaneurysm42%
Stroke/cva42%
Transient ischemic attack31.5%
Hematomaa collection of blood under the skin or in tissue21%
Hemorrhage/blood loss/bleeding21%
Air embolism10.5%
Aortic dissection10.5%
Cardiac arrestthe heart stopped10.5%
Extravasation10.5%
Fistula10.5%
Hemothorax10.5%

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

In context

MeasureTransseptal Needle, BRK SeriesProduct code DRCAll MAUDE reports
Reports2032,00326,136,888
Share of that pool—10.1%0%
Classified as death, per 1,000 reports59299
Classified as injury92.1%46.9%36.2%
Classified as malfunction2%47.7%62.3%
Filed by the manufacturer100%89.2%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 DRC

BrandReportsLatest 12 monthsClassified as death
Spacemaker Blunt Tip Trocar 10mm77800%
Spacemaker Blunt Tip Trocar 12mm54200%
5 5mm Short Secondary Port21400%
Spacemaker Structural Balloon Trocar34100%
Heartlight20601%
Autosuture24401.2%
Endopath435741.4%
Argyle871601%
Auto Suture3,1002340.1%
Ethicon1,1001642.3%
Sm Plus Btt/Oval Balloon Dissector19400%
Endopath Xcel786380.5%
Kendall213232.3%
NRG Transseptal Needle263244.2%
Spacemaker Preperitoneal Dist Balloon61200%

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 Transseptal Needle, BRK Series reports

How many FDA reports name Transseptal Needle, BRK Series?

203 medical device reports in the openFDA MAUDE release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through August 2026; 32 in the latest 12 months.

What kinds of events are reported?

injury (92.1%), death (5.9%) and malfunction (2%). "Event type" is how the report was classified when filed: death, injury, malfunction or other.

What device problems are coded?

difficult to insert (2%), improper or incorrect procedure or method (1%), device contamination with body fluid (0.5%), fracture (0.5%) and material puncture/hole (0.5%). 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 Transseptal Needle, BRK Series 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.