Johnson And Johnson Cypher Stent
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The Cypher stent is coated with a thin layer of polymer, which contains a drug called sirolimus. The sirolimus works as it is slowly released in hopes of reducing the rate of re-blockage, and restenosis, or reclosure. The stent can either be a punctured tube or a flexible wire that is inserted into clogged coronary artieries. The stent is used to increase the flow of blood to other organs in the body. The stent is used mainly for coronary arteries, but it has recently implanted to the other tubular parts of the body, including the peripheral and central veins and arteries, the duct of the bile, the colon, the esophagus, the large bronchi or the trachea, the urethra, and the ureters.
In 2003, the FDA approved the use of Cypher stent for angioplasty patients to open coronary arteries that had been clogged. The stent, made by Johnson and Johnson, is a tubular metal net that prevents the arteries from clogging. The sirolimus is released into the veins of the patient to decrease the incidence of blockage in the arteries. Approximately 80 percent of the stents that have been implanted in the United States have been drug-coated.
Because of possible dangers, studies have been commissioned in order to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the stents in the patients who have been implanted with them. These reports have revealed clotting or thrombosis in up to 290 patients who have been implanted with the device. The possible clotting occurs a month after the stent has been implanted, and more than 60 cases of thrombosis have led to the death of the individual. Over 50 of the cases, which include the death incidences, have been reported as patients have been experiencing negative reactions to the device. The symptoms of the hypersensitivity reactions are rashes, pains, hives, fever, changes in the respiratory system and blood pressure, and itching. Potential clotting may increase a patient\\\'s risk of having heart failure, a heart attack, or a stroke.
The sirolimus trials believed that patients should take an anticoagulant for a few months, whereas others stated anywhere from six months to a year was necessary. In addition to dangerous clotting, another major concern with the drug-coated stents is that some health care professionals are suspect if an artery can repair itself properly and form a new lining after. Concerns stem from the knowledge that without the lining, or an anticoagulant, clots will most likely form and may potentially attach to the existing stents. If a patient ceases their anticoagulant prescription, like Plavix, the health risks continue to increase.
Having to undergo angioplasty surgery causes enough worry. Adding further concern only intensifies the emotional and mental strain on everyone involved. Having a medical device implanted into your body, and then learning about the potential health risks that the life-saving device can cause, is horrifying. At this time, you and your family are most likely dealing with the healing process, and medical bills can build up quickly. Contacting an attorney with experience in medical device malfunction can ease your mind, as the attorney handles the legalities of the damages that you are owed.
If a member of your family has been implanted with the Cypher stent, there is a big possibility that he or she may be experiencing negative reactions to the device. The removal of the stent requires more medical visits, bills, potential lost wages, as well as pain and suffering. Your lawyer will guide you through the process of the litigation.
