Recall of Merit Medical's 16F Dual Valved Splittable Sheath Introducer
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Merit Medical Systems, Inc. is recalling 368,264 units of its 16F Dual Valved Splittable Sheath Introducer due to a design defect that may cause it not to split as intended, potentially leading to serious health risks.
What this FDA recall tells you, and what most readers miss
This notice was issued by FDA on April 8, 2026 and geographically references United States. Its severity classification of "high" signals how the issuing agency weighs the risk of harm if no action is taken - "critical" and "high" tier alerts typically carry direct consumer actions, while "medium" and "low" tend toward informational guidance or monitoring advisories. The category it belongs to - FDA Recalls - determines the consumer-protection framework behind it, which shapes what remedies (refunds, replacements, repairs, or the recall itself) are available to affected consumers and which agency holds statutory responsibility for enforcement.
Most readers skim a notice like this, check whether they are personally affected, and move on. The more useful lens is to read it as a data point about the issuing system: how quickly FDA detected the hazard, how precise the geographic or product-identifier scope is, and whether similar notices have clustered in the same category or region in the last 90 days. Cluster patterns frequently precede a broader regulatory action, a single localized FDA recall is isolated; three of them within a quarter often indicate a supply-chain, infrastructure, or seasonal driver that will keep producing notices until something structural changes.
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What Happened
Merit Medical Systems, Inc. is recalling the 16F Dual Valved Splittable Sheath Introducer due to a design defect that may prevent it from splitting as intended, which could result in hemorrhage, foreign bodies, and procedure delays.
Which Products Are Affected
The affected product is the 16F Dual Valved Splittable Sheath Introducer (bulk, non-sterile), with REF: FCL-174-00/B. A total of 368,264 units are involved, distributed nationwide in the United States to states including TX, LA, OR, NM, MI, FL, CO, CA, GA, NC, AK, NY, PA, WI, NJ, VA, AZ, IN, KY, MO, DE, SC, MT, NE, WV, OH, MA, MN, CT, MD, KS, WA, TN, ID, UT, DC, MS, IL, OK, AL, RI, AR, NV, and internationally to various countries. The specific lots affected are listed under UDI-DI/Lot codes such as I2362705, I2370091, and others up to I3257331, as per the recall number Z-1577-2026.
What You Should Do
Consumers and users should contact Merit Medical Systems, Inc. for instructions regarding this voluntary recall, as it is a firm-initiated action.
Why This Matters
This Class I recall highlights a significant safety issue with medical devices that could lead to serious health consequences, affecting a large number of units distributed across the U.S. and internationally.
Source
This information is from the FDA recall database, attributed to recall number Z-1577-2026.
Original source: FDA Official Notice ↗
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