US healthcare company Baxter International could face multi-million dollar compensation claims from relatives of patients who died.

The company has admitted its filters may have played a role in the death of at least 51 people.

Baxter - which is a leader in the $33bn market for kidney dialysis equipment - was recently forced to recall two types of blood filter, used in the dialysis process.

Baxter said that tests on the filters concerned had revealed traces of a toxic fluid used in the manufacturing process.

Halted production

The company said there was a high probability that the incidents were linked.

The company insists the problems will not have a major effect on revenues - although it is planning to set aside up to $150m to cover the cost of discontinuing the product line.

And it plans to stop making these filters at its plant in Ronneby, Sweden.

"We have decided that in the interest of patient safety, the most prudent course of action is to permanently cease manufacturing these dialysers," Harry Jansen Kraemer, Baxter chairman and chief executive officer said in a statement.