Archive for December, 2010

Yaz Gallbladder Disease Symptoms

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

Problems related to Yaz gallbladder disease symptoms are often due to gallstones that form inside the gallbladder. They migrate into the cystic duct, where they cause a blockage that prevents bile fluid from exiting into the common bile duct. Bile is forced to remain inside the organ, where it grows stagnant. It eventually begins to irritate the wall of the gall bladder, triggering sudden abdominal pain and nausea.

Most women who suffer from Yaz gallbladder disease side effects seek immediate medical attention when the first symptoms present. The condition is usually resolved by surgically removing the organ. If hospitalization is neglected, the disorder can worsen, exposing women to more serious side effects. Below, we’ll describe several possible outcomes when an inflamed gall bladder is left untreated.

Fluid Accumulation And Thickening Of The Wall

When the gall bladder becomes inflamed (called acute cholecystitis), fluid begins to accumulate within it. The fluid is unable to escape due to the obstruction caused by gallstones in the cystic duct. This circumstance allows bacteria to flourish, and sets the stage for the onset of infection. Fluid accumulation also causes distension in the organ, which in turn causes its wall to thicken and scar.

Scar tissue is essentially inert. It cannot assist in the gallbladder’s contractions. Moreover, once it forms, it cannot be repaired.

Infection And Perforations Of The Gall Bladder

As inflammation grows steadily worse, the inner lining of the gall bladder becomes compromised. Infection further weakens the wall, and makes it susceptible to erosion from nearby gallstones. When stones continue to irritate the wall, perforations can form.

Perforations are small holes. They allow bile to spill into the abdominal cavity. These holes develop in nearly 10 percent of diagnosed cases of acute cholecystitis, and account for a substantial portion of the mortality rate.

Gangrene Of The Gallbladder

Severe infection can occur in the gall bladder if bacterial colonization is allowed to persist. This eventually prevents blood from circulating properly throughout the organ. Impaired blood supply means that oxygen and nutrients are unable to reach the compromised tissue, resulting in necrosis (i.e. premature death of cells).

Necrosis is the precursor to gangrene. The gallbladder’s tissue begins to die as infection overwhelms it. The condition is accompanied by severe pain, which may be followed by a period of numbness in the area. Other symptoms include confusion, nausea, fever, and a drop in blood pressure due to internal bleeding.

Bile Duct Infection

Gallstones occasionally leave the gall bladder and travel into the common bile duct. If they are small, they might pass through the duct and into the duodenum (first part of the small intestine) without causing a problem. Larger stones, however, can obstruct the bile duct, and prevent bile fluid from passing.

When the bile duct becomes blocked for an extended period, bacteria enters the duct through the sphincter of Oddi (a valve that separates the duct from the duodenum). This bacteria ascends the duct, and spreads throughout the biliary tract. If it is not controlled, infection will occur in the bile duct, and spread to your gall bladder and liver. This is a condition called cholangitis. It can become life-threatening.

Severe Inflammation Of The Pancreas

Some gallstones may migrate lower in the biliary tree. They can become lodged past the point where the bile duct is joined by the pancreatic duct. This latter tube is the route taken by digestive enzymes secreted by the pancreas. If these enzymes are prevented from flowing into the duodenum, they will back up and begin to digest the pancreas. This causes acute pancreatitis, which can become fatal if it is not treated.

Together, Yaz and gallbladder disease have caused dangerous circumstances for many unsuspecting women. Without treatment, inflammation can evolve into infection, perforations, and other medical problems. If you have suffered from gallstones, gallbladder disease, or other serious Ocella, Yasmin or Yaz side effects, you may be able to file a claim for compensation. Contact an experienced Yaz lawsuit gallbladder attorney to discuss your options.

Yaz Litigation 2010 News

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

Please contact us for the latest Yaz litigation 2010 news updates if you have suffered from serious side effects including blood clots and gallbladder disease. Many women who suffer from Ocella, Yasmin or Yaz side effects involving a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) are unaware of what is causing the discomfort they feel in their legs. The first noticeable signs of a problem may be mild tenderness or redness due to a small venous occlusion. Unfortunately, a DVT seldom resolves on its own. It grows larger over time, and causes symptoms that become increasingly pronounced. Eventually, the blood clots cause valve damage, and threaten to break away from the venous wall. If this occurs, they can travel to your lungs.

One of the potential side effects of a DVT is a condition known as cor pulmonale. This is right-sided heart failure due to persistent high blood pressure in the right ventricle and arteries of the lungs (i.e. pulmonary arteries). It can result in shortness of breath, shock, and even death.

How Does A DVT Cause Cor Pulmonale?

The biggest danger of deep venous clots is that they can become detached from the wall of the vein. Sometimes, this occurs when the muscles in your legs contract. The contractions squeeze the veins, and dislodge the clots. Other times, they break off on their own.

The deep veins in your legs drain into a large blood vessel called the inferior vena cava (IVC). The IVC delivers deoxygenated blood directly to the right atrium (upper chamber of your heart). The atrium pumps blood to the right ventricle (lower chamber), which in turn pumps it into the pulmonary arteries. These arteries deliver blood to your lungs so it can receive more oxygen.

When a piece of a DVT breaks away from the venous lining, it can be carried along with your bloodstream to your heart. It can be pumped into your pulmonary arteries, where it causes a blockage that prevents blood from reaching your lung tissue. This event is known as a pulmonary embolism.

When a pulmonary artery becomes obstructed, your heart’s right ventricle begins to work harder. It pumps more aggressively to send the same volume of blood through the restricted opening. This causes blood pressure to rise within the artery and the right ventricle. The ventricle responds by enlarging and thickening its wall, but the burden eventually exceeds the chamber’s capacity. It fails under the strain.

Improving Pulmonary Blood Flow And Right Ventricular Activity

Cor pulmonale requires emergency treatment. Doctors will first diagnose the underlying reasons for the condition – in this case, a blocked pulmonary artery and dysfunctional ventricle. Treatment then focuses on restoring blood flow through the occluded artery, and improving the ventricle’s ability to contract.

Multiple approaches may be used depending on the circumstances. In most cases, oxygen therapy and diuretics are necessary to help stabilize the patient and improve right ventricular function. Anticoagulants may be needed to prevent further clotting while thrombolytic drugs are administered to address the existing arterial blockage.

Treating The Root Cause

When Yasmin, Ocella or Yaz birth control side effects involving DVT is the catalyst for cor pulmonale, your doctor will treat the deep venous clotting to minimize the likelihood of a recurrence. Depending on the severity of the condition, long-term anticoagulation therapy may be necessary. If your physician suspects an existing clot may become detached from the venous wall, he or she may recommend the use of thrombolytic drugs. If such drugs are contraindicated, a vena cava filter may be installed to catch migrating clots before they can reach your lungs.

Yaz Litigation

A deep vein thrombosis poses a serious risk because it can eventually lead to dangerous medical conditions, such as cor pulmonale. If you have suffered from blood clots, DVT, pulmonary embolism, or other Yaz side effects, you may be able to file a claim against the manufacturer. Contact a Yaz lawsuit attorney to discuss your case. We are currently filing claims for women throughout the United States.

Yaz Class Action Lawsuit

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

Individual cases have been consolidated into multi-district litigation and there is currently no national Yaz class action lawsuit litigation in the United States. Ocella, Yasmin and Yaz side effects involving pulmonary embolism occurs when blood clots form in the deep veins of the legs (known as deep vein thrombosis), break free, and travel to the heart. Your heart pumps these clots along with oxygen-poor blood to your lungs. Both travel through the pulmonary arteries. A clot that is pumped into one of these arteries can become lodged, and block the flow of blood to your lung tissue. This is known as a pulmonary embolism. The event can be fatal.

Doctors can treat a PE by introducing anticoagulants and thrombolytic drugs into the obstructed artery. In severe cases when such an approach is contraindicated, or will not produce results quickly enough, more invasive strategies can be used.

Your doctor may prefer to prevent blood clots from reaching your lungs in the first place. When clots have been identified within the legs, one method for accomplishing this is to install a vena cava filter.

Preventing A PE By Addressing The Source

Because deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a common precursor to Yasmin, Ocella and Yaz side effects caused by pulmonary embolism, your doctor will first try to treat clots that exist in your legs. The form of treatment will vary based on the size of the clots, and any contraindications that preclude the use of anticoagulants and thrombolytic drugs.

If the deep venous occlusion is mild, most doctors will start with heparin and warfarin. Initial therapy typically begins with intravenous delivery of heparin for the first day, and daily injections of low-molecular weight heparin (LMWH) thereafter. If long-term therapy is needed, LMWH is usually replaced with warfarin (taken in pill form).

If significant clotting has occurred in the deep veins, your doctor may suggest the use of thrombolytic drugs, such as tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). Delivery of these drugs is usually done via catheter.

In cases where severe occlusion poses a risk of gangrene, surgical thrombectomy may be necessary. While anticoagulants and thrombolysis focus on inhibiting clot formation and accelerating their dissolution (respectively), thrombectomy is the removal of the clot.

Each of the treatment methods described thus far may be contraindicated due to bleeding disorders, recent surgery, or even recent trauma. When this is the case, or when the risk of a PE is extremely high, an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter may present a solution.

How An IVC Filter Is Installed

The inferior vena cava is a large vein that carries oxygen-poor blood from your legs to your heart. It is the path deep venous clots will travel if they break away from the wall of a vein. An IVC filter can be placed to trap emboli as they migrate.

The filter is delivered to the site of deployment with a catheter. The catheter is introduced through an entry point made in the groin, and threaded to a location chosen by your doctor. Once the catheter reaches the target site, the filter is deployed. The catheter is then withdrawn, and the entry site is closed. This entire procedure can normally be completed in under an hour.

Risks Associated With The IVC Filter

The main concerns surrounding the installation of an IVC filter are that it may cause a venous perforation, might migrate from the deployment site, and may be difficult to retrieve. Also, in rare instances, the filter can trap so many emboli that their collective mass prevents blood from flowing through. In this case, the IVC filter must be retrieved, emptied, and reinstalled.

A pulmonary embolism is a medical emergency since a massive blockage – or even smaller blockages that are left untreated – can be fatal. If you have suffered DVT, PE, gallbladder disease or other dangerous Ocella, Yasmin or Yaz side effects, you may be able to file a claim against the manufacturer. Contact a Yaz lawsuit settlements lawyer to discuss your case.

Yaz Side Effects

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

Women have continued to report serious Ocella, Yasmin and Yaz side effects after using these birth control pills. Most of your arteries deliver oxygen-rich blood to your tissues and organs. Once the oxygen has been depleted, blood returns to your heart through your veins. Superficial veins lie near the surface of your skin, and drain into the deep veins. The deep veins drain into the vena cava, a large vein that delivers oxygen-depleted blood directly to the right side of your heart. When women suffer from Yaz side effects involving deep vein thrombosis (DVT), they become exposed to many dangerous side effects based on this circulatory system.

A DVT is defined by blood clots that develop within the deep veins – usually, in the calves and thighs. The clots normally remain attached to the vein’s inner lining where they restrict circulation, and cause mild inflammation. In some cases, however, they can travel to the lungs, and cause a pulmonary embolism. This can lead to serious secondary outcomes, including an ischemic stroke.

How Yaz Side Effects Blood Clots Reach Your Lungs

The deep veins in your legs drain into the lower portion of the vena cava (known as the inferior vena cava, or IVC). When clots become detached from the wall of the blood vessel, they travel with your bloodstream into the IVC.

Recall that the vena cava delivers oxygen-depleted blood to the right side of your heart – specifically, the atrium (i.e. upper chamber). Emboli from your legs follow this same route. Once they arrive in the right atrium, they can be pumped into the right ventricle (i.e. lower chamber), and onward toward your lungs.

The right side of your heart pumps blood to your lungs via the pulmonary arteries. A blood clot that migrates into one of these arteries can travel downstream until it becomes wedged, and creates an obstruction. This restricts blood flow to the lung tissue normally supplied by the artery. The result is a pulmonary embolism. The condition can be life-threatening.

Clots In The Left Side Of Your Heart

A persistent blockage in the pulmonary arteries causes blood pressure in the lungs and the right ventricle to rise. Your heart begins to work harder in order to pump the same amount of blood to your lungs through the restricted artery. The right ventricle can endure the increased workload for awhile, but will eventually enlarge and thicken to handle the mounting strain. Meanwhile, the increased blood pressure may trigger an arrhythmia (i.e. an erratic heartbeat).

An arrhythmia increases the risk of blood pooling within the heart’s chambers. Pooling occurs when the irregular heartbeat prevents the atria and ventricles from emptying properly. Blood becomes stale, and begins to clot. If such clots form within the left atrium or ventricle, they can be pumped outside the heart.

When Clots Leave Your Heart

Your left ventricle pumps oxygen-rich blood into the largest artery in your body: the aorta. This artery climbs upward, arches, and then descends until it splits into the common iliac arteries near your pelvis.

Your left and right carotid arteries begin at the arch of the aorta, and extend upward. Blood flows through them toward your brain. When a clot leaves your left ventricle, and migrates through the aorta, it comes dangerously close to the base of these two arteries. If it travels into one of them, it may cause a blockage that prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching your brain tissue. This triggers a stroke.

Stroke is particularly worrisome because symptoms are unpredictable; they vary based on the area of your brain that sustains damage. This is the reason some survivors suffer vision or memory problems while others experience one-sided paralysis, vertigo, and speech impairments.

Though it is rarely discussed in this context, a DVT can set off a sequence of events that lead to an ischemic stroke. If you have suffered clotting, DVT, pulmonary embolism, gallbladder problems or other Ocella, Yasmin or Yaz side effects, you may be able to file a claim against the manufacturer. Contact a Yaz lawsuit lawyer to discuss your options.

Yaz Birth Control Gallbladder News

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

Biliary tract problems related to Yasmin, Ocella and Yaz birth control and gallstones have presented women with a difficult choice: have their gallbladders surgically removed or risk serious medical issues. Symptomatic stones cause inflammation of the gall bladder’s inner lining, which triggers sharp abdominal pain and nausea. If they migrate into the common bile duct and cause an obstruction, infection may occur. Further downstream in the biliary tree, stones can block the passage of pancreatic secretions. This can lead to acute pancreatitis, a condition that may become life-threatening.

Gallbladder removal surgery is the standard form of treatment for resolving symptomatic Yaz gallbladder problems involving gallstones. It was once performed through invasive open surgery, but is now commonly done through laparoscopy. We’ll focus on the latter approach below. You’ll learn how it is performed, and the complications that may result.

How Your Gallbladder Is Surgically Removed

This procedure requires general anesthesia. Once you have been sedated, the surgeon will insert a needle near your navel, and fill your abdomen with carbon dioxide. This is done to inflate your abdomen, which provides more working space and better visualization of the biliary tree.

Four or five small incisions are made into your abdomen. These serve as entry points. Surgical instruments are inserted through them with which your doctor can sever the connections your gallbladder shares with adjacent structures.

The first instrument is called a laparoscope. It’s thin, flexible, and outfitted with a tiny camera on its tip. As your doctor advances the laparoscope through your biliary tree, the camera sends video images to a monitor. The images allow your doctor to view the inside of your abdomen, and the structures that lie near your gall bladder.

Once your surgeon has examined the area, he or she will insert dissectors, graspers, clamps, and other surgical tools. The flow of bile is staunched, and the gallbladder is drained. Prior to its removal, the organ is inspected for signs of infection or scarring. If either is present, your doctor may be forced to convert from laparoscopy to an open procedure. Conversion may also be necessary if nearby blood vessels are injured, or visualization near the cystic duct and gall bladder is diminished.

If conversion is unnecessary, your doctor will begin by first identifying the triangle of Calot. This is the point in the biliary tree where the cystic duct branches off from the common bile duct, and extends toward the gallbladder. This juncture is used for positioning, and helps orient your doctor.

The biliary anatomy is contained within a small space, and thus it is easy to mistake the cystic duct for the common bile duct. For this reason, the cystic duct should be severed as closely to the gall bladder as possible to prevent bile duct injuries. Once this has been done, your doctor will sever the tissue strands shared by your gallbladder and liver. The organ is then placed into a bag and removed.

Lastly, your surgeon will check the site for bleeding before removing the clamps, dissectors, and other instruments. Then, the incisions are closed.

Two Potential Complications

Besides bleeding and infection – both of which are risks with any operation – gall bladder removal surgery poses two serious complications. Both are due to mistakes made by the surgeon. First, your common bile duct might be accidentally severed. When this mistake occurs, it is usually due to the doctor wrongly identifying the bile duct as the cystic duct. This can happen as the result of poor visualization (which should prompt a conversion to open surgery) or inexperience with the biliary system.

The second danger also involves the bile duct. While severing the gall bladder’s connections, the surgeon might unintentionally create a tear in the duct. This allows bile fluid to leak into the abdominal cavity, a circumstance that will eventually lead to infection.

Yaz birth control side effects caused by gallstones are usually silent. They can form in the gallbladder and remain dormant for many years, often without women realizing they exist. When they become symptomatic, however, treatment is necessary. If you have suffered from gallstones, gallbladder disease, or other Ocella, Yasmin or Yaz birth control problems, you may be able to file a claim for compensation. Contact an experienced Yaz lawsuit 2010 attorney to discuss your options.