In case you haven't heard, Dell is recalling more than 4 million laptop computers. We know many DOTmed users rely on laptops and we want to make sure you're aware of the potential disaster you may have in your hands. Dell sells more systems than any computer company in the world so it's a big concern.

The problem batteries are Dell-branded lithium-ion batteries with cells manufactured by Sony. "Under rare conditions," Dell says, it is possible for these batteries to overheat, which could cause a risk of fire. Dell sold or provided these batteries with the notebook computers, as part of a service replacement, and as individual units from April 1, 2004, through July 18, 2006. The affected models include Dell Latitude^TM, Inspiron^TM, XPS^TM and Dell Precision Mobile Workstation^TM notebook computers. The computers with these batteries sold for between $500 and $2,850 (US) and individual batteries sold for between $60 and $180 (US).

Contact Dell to determine if your computer battery is part of this recall. Go to www.dellbatteryprogram.com for all the details.

Meanwhile, light-weight, high-energy lithium-ion batteries remain the portable power supply of choice for billions of cell phones, PDAs, and other technologies we use every day. Could this be a larger issue than Dell's announcement? Does it have serious implications for the medical industry? The battery technology is used in automated external defibrillators, ambulatory infusion pumps, telemetry systems, blood analyzers, bone growth stimulators, Holter monitors, pulse oximeters, and external pacemakers.

If any DOTmed readers know of lithium-ion batteries in medical equipment that might pose similar potential fire safety hazards, let us know so we can start a dialog among experts.

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