Use caution Medical device recall · FDA · Published April 21, 2026

Baxter Head Positioning Adapter May Become Loose on Operating Tables

Baxter recalls head positioning adapter model 1739994 for possible loosening when used with operating table side rails, risking unintended movement during patient positioning.

Plain-English summary generated from official FDA data by GovInfoNow · Published by Carlos Caban · How we make summaries

🇺🇸 FDA recall #Z-2638-2026Medical device Baxter ›

Use caution until it’s fixed

The Adapter for Head Positioning accessory may become loose during patient positioning and unintentionally move when used in conjunction with the side rails of the Upper Back Section H V U component on Baxter operating tables.

Take action

Contact the company

Recalling firmBaxter Healthcare Corporation1 Baxter Pkwy · Deerfield, IL 60015-4625

✎ GovInfoNow plain-language explainer

Baxter is recalling a head positioning adapter that may become loose when used with certain operating table side rails, potentially causing unintended movement during patient positioning. This could lead to injury if the adapter shifts unexpectedly. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/49434-baxter-head-positioning-adapter-may-become-loose-on-operating-tables.

Source Summary by GovInfoNow · govinfonow.com/recall/49434-baxter-head-positioning-adapter-may-become-loose-on-operating-tables · Updated August 17, 2026 · FDA enforcement record: FDA #Z-2638-2026

Cite this page

“Baxter Head Positioning Adapter May Become Loose on Operating Tables.” GovInfoNow, updated August 17, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/49434-baxter-head-positioning-adapter-may-become-loose-on-operating-tables. Based on FDA recall #Z-2638-2026 (https://api.fda.gov/device/enforcement.json?search=recall_number:%22Z-2638-2026%22&limit=1).

The FDA announced on April 21, 2026, that Baxter Healthcare Corporation is recalling the Adapter for Head Positioning, Model/Catalog Number 1739994. The device may become loose during patient positioning and unintentionally move when used with specific Baxter operating table side rails.

How to tell if you have it

Brand: Baxter
Product: Adapter for Head Positioning
Model/Catalog Number: 1739994
Lot Code: Product Code: 1739994
UDI-DI: 00887761972780
Serial Numbers: 109931797, 109931798, 109931799, 109943588, 109943590, 109948550, 109964963, 109964964, 109964969, 109964970, 109964971, 109980700, and 110006694
Distribution: Worldwide - US Nationwide distribution in the states of Minnesota, Maryland, and Pennsylvania and the countries of Canada, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arabia Emrites, Ukraine, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Peru
Units affected: 13

The hazard

Context

GovInfoNow's records show Baxter Healthcare Corporation has 187 other recalls on record since 2015-09-02. Other recent recalls include PRO+ MRS SURFACE FOR VERSACARE (2026-08-18), 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection (2026-08-17), and Dextrose 2000mL Bags (2026-08-17). Other recent recalls of similar products include IMRIS ORT300 Operating Room Table Recall (2026-08-06) and Think Surgical TMINI Tracking Arrays (2026-05-08).

How to tell if you have this one

Check for the adapter model 1739994 with serial numbers listed: 109931797, 109931798, 109931799, 109943588, 109943590, 109948550, 109964963, 109964964, 109964969, 109964970, 109964971, 109980700, and 110006694. It is used with Baxter operating tables that have the Upper Back Section H V U component.

Brand
Baxter
Category
Medical device

Based on the official FDA remedy

What to do — step by step

Check Adapter Model
Verify the adapter model number is 1739994 and the serial number matches the list provided in the recall notice.
Use with Caution
Ensure the adapter is securely attached to the operating table side rails before patient positioning to prevent unintended movement.

Where it went and when

Where it was distributed

Distributed nationwide and abroad; the notice names 3 states.

FDA distribution: “Worldwide - US Nationwide distribution in the states of Minnesota, Maryland, and Pennsylvania and the countries of Canada, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic,…” States read from FDA’s own wording; “not listed” means the notice does not name it.

Named in the notice: Maryland, Minnesota, Pennsylvania.

Recall timeline

FDA published this recall 3 months after the firm started it.

Apr 21, 2026Firm started the recall
Jul 1, 2026FDA classified it Class II
Jul 8, 2026Published in FDA’s Enforcement Report

Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.

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Keep exploring

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Link to this recall

<a href="https://govinfonow.com/recall/49434-baxter-head-positioning-adapter-may-become-loose-on-operating-tables">Baxter Head Positioning Adapter May Become Loose on Operating Tables (GovInfoNow)</a>

Where this comes from

The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official FDA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.

Official source: FDA Recall #Z-2638-2026 (April 21, 2026) — FDA publishes no per-recall page; this is the official machine-readable enforcement record. Search FDA recalls for Z-2638-2026 to see it in context.
Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on August 17, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the FDA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official FDA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.