Zoll Warns Of Defect In AED Plus Defibrillators

CHELMSFORD, Mass. (AP) — Resuscitation device maker Zoll Medical Corp. said Thursday software for certain defibrillators need a software update because of a defect that fails to detect when a battery needs to be replaced.

The company said people with the AED Plus automated external defibrillators should download the updated software from Zoll's Web site at http://www.zollaedplusbatteryhelp.com/ for devices made prior to Feb. 12, 2009, with serial numbers below X— __200000. The correction applies to about 180,000 defibrillators, though devices installed for at least three years are at the highest risk. The latter amount to about 80,000 defibrillators.

The new software is included in current shipments and does not apply to devices made after Feb. 12. That software can detect the battery defect condition if it occurs within the maximum five-year standby lifetime, and alert the user to install fresh batteries.

A defibrillator delivers an electric shock to a patient's heart in order to jolt it back to a normal heart rhythm and in some cases revive activity.

Zoll said it received several reports in regard to the software issue, including one case where a device failed to deliver the necessary shock. That patient died.