Medtronic Inc. failed to convince U.S. District Judge James Rosenbaum that the hundreds of lawsuits the company was facing relating to potentially faulty heart defibrillators ought to be dismissed.

To date, more than 300 cases have been filed by patients and family members. The suits are based upon a safety alert to doctors by the company in February 2005. The company's advisory centered upon potentially faulty batteries.

Though the plaintiffs were pleased with the ruling, Medtronic stipulated it would seek the court's permission to appeal the ruling. In a statement released by Medtronic, the company insisted that there have not been any confirmed serious injuries or deaths related to the alert.

For more on the class action suit against Medtronic, see:
http://www.startribune.com/535/story/841027.html