A Danish study of patients with St. Jude Medical's recalled Riata defibrillator leads concludes that 1 in 10 lead wires poked through their protective coating after an average of 5.1 years.

Danish researchers reported this week that their latest studies of St. Jude Medical's (NYSE:STJ) recalled Riata defibrillator leads found that 1 in 10 had poked through their coating in an average of just over 5 years.

The study included 298 Danish patients, representing "virtually every living patient in Denmark who received Riata defibrillator leads," according to Heartwire.