o Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammation of the digestive tract accompanied by ulcers on the lining of the large intestine and rectum. Ulcerative colitis is often the most severe in the rectal area, and causes frequent diarrhea. Some people have reported an immediate onset of symptoms, while others developed ulcerative colitis months or even years after Accutane treatment was stopped.

o Crohn’s Disease
Crohn’s disease most commonly affects the last part of the small intestine (the terminal ileum) and parts of the large intestine. However, it isn’t confined to these areas and it can attack any part of the digestive track. Crohn’s disease causes inflammation that extends far deeper into the layers of the intestine wall and generally involves the entire bowel wall, whereas ulcerative colitis affects the bowel lining.

What is Accutane and how does it work?
Accutane is a prescription for acne. It was created by Hoffmann-La Roche, a United States drug manufacturer. Accutane was introduced in 1982 and has treated over 13 million patients. Accutane was initially prescribed for people with serious acne that did not respond to other treatments, but it has been more frequently prescribed in the last 25 years for less severe acne. This practice has been criticized because it has caused serious side effects, including inflammatory bowel disease. In 2009, Hoffman-La Roche discontinued manufacturing Accutane because of that company’s dwindling market share.

Accutane comes in pill form and is a Vitamin A derivative. It is administered for 15 to 20 weeks and then stopped. Accutane stops acne by affecting the ways it develops. First it dramatically reduces the size of the skin’s oil glands from 25% to over 55%, and even more dramatically reduces the amount of oil the skin produces by about 80%. Accutane also reduces the amount of acne bacteria that lives in skin oil, since it reduces the amount of the skin oil. Third, it reduces the speed at which the skin produces skin cells inside the pore, which helps the pores from becoming clogged. Finally, it has anti-inflammatory properties. Accutane boasts that it achieves partial or complete clearance of acne in about 95% of patients who complete a cycle. However, it has also caused serious health problems which have, in some cases, lead to Accutane inflammatory bowel disease problems.

The operation can be performed through open surgery or using laparoscopic techniques. Most surgeons prefer the latter approach since it is quicker, poses fewer risks, and results in less postoperative pain. But complications do arise for a small percentage of patients. This will become clear in the following, a step-by-step overview of laparoscopic gall bladder removal surgery.

Creating Working Space In The Abdominal Cavity

Once you have been placed under general anesthesia, four small incisions are made into your abdomen. One of these incisions is made near your navel where a small tube is inserted to fill your abdominal cavity with carbon dioxide. The gas expands the region and allows the surgeon to create working space in order to observe the nearby structures more easily.

Next, small tubes called operating ports are inserted into the incisions. These ports are used to thread the laparoscope – a flexible instrument equipped with a video camera – and other surgical tools into the abdominal cavity. These tools include scissors, clamps, and dissectors.

The camera affixed to the tip of the laparoscope sends high-resolution video images to a monitor watched by your surgeon. These images help the surgeon visualize the area. He or she can study the organs in your abdomen and locate your gall bladder.

Severing The Gallbladder’s Connections

Before your gall bladder is removed, a needle is inserted to drain bile from the organ. This is done to make it easier for the surgeon to grab and hold onto the gallbladder with grasping forceps. With the organ drained, the cystic duct is severed as close to the opening of the gall bladder as possible. The exposed duct is then clamped to prevent bile leakage into the abdominal cavity.

Next, the connecting tissue between the gall bladder and the liver is cut, and the isolated organ is placed into a small bag. It is then crushed in order to make its extraction through one of the small incisions easier. Once the organ has been removed, your surgeon will inspect the cavity to ensure there is no bleeding. Then, the surgical tools and laparoscope are withdrawn, and the incisions are closed.

Yaz Gallbladder Removal Surgery: Potential Problems

One of the most common problems with laparoscopic gallbladder removal surgery is bile duct injury. In some cases, the surgeon accidentally tears the duct. In other cases, he or she intentionally cuts it, mistaking it for the cystic duct. Both circumstances can allow bile to leak into the abdominal cavity. If this occurs, infection will follow.

Another potential complication is that Yaz gallbladder disease symptoms involving gallstones contained in the gall bladder can spill out when the organ is removed. As with leaking bile, they fall into the abdominal cavity. If the surgeon fails to notice these stones, they can eventually cause abscesses and other dangerous consequences. Surgery is required to retrieve them.

Surgeons are occasionally forced to convert from laparoscopy to open surgery during the procedure. This is the case when scarring or infection are present in the area, or when laparoscopy fails to provide sufficient space in which to work. Though an open procedure is safer under these circumstances, it is accompanied by a longer recovery period and much more postoperative pain.

Yasmin, Ocella and Yaz gallbladder disease usually requires hospitalization and results in the surgical removal of the organ. If you have suffered from gallstones, gall bladder problems, or other dangerous side effects, find out about your legal rights. Contact an experienced Yaz lawsuit gallbladder attorney to discuss whether you should file a claim against the oral contraceptive’s manufacturer.

What is Accutane?
Accutane is a drug used to treat acne. Accutane stops acne by affecting the ways it develops. First it dramatically reduces the size of the skin’s oil glands from 25% to over 55%, and even more dramatically reduces the amount of oil the skin produces by about 80%. Accutane also reduces the amount of acne bacteria that lives in skin oil, since it reduces the amount of the skin oil. Third, it reduces the speed at which the skin produces skin cells inside the pore, which helps the pores from becoming clogged. Finally, it has anti-inflammatory properties. Accutane boasts that it achieves partial or complete clearance of acne in about 95% of patients who complete a cycle. However, it has also caused serious health problems which have, in some cases, lead to Accutane ulcerative colitis.

What is Ulcerative Colitis?
Ulcerative colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease, which is a gastrointestinal disorder. Specifically, it is a chronic inflammation of the digestive tract accompanied by ulcers on the lining of the large intestine and rectum. Ulcerative colitis is often the most severe in the rectal area, and causes frequent diarrhea. Some people have reported an immediate onset of symptoms, while others developed ulcerative colitis months or even years after Accutane treatment was stopped. Treatment is available for Accutane ulcerative colitis, though there is no known cure.

What is the history of Accutane?
Accutane was created by Hoffmann-La Roche, a United States drug manufacturer. Accutane was introduced in 1982 and has treated over 13 million patients. Accutane was initially prescribed for people with serious acne that did not respond to other treatments, but it has been more frequently prescribed in the last 25 years for less severe acne. This practice has been criticized because it has caused serious side effects, including ulcerative colitis. In 2009, Hoffman-La Roche discontinued manufacturing Accutane because of that company’s dwindling market share.

What other conditions has Accutane caused?
Accutane has caused serious side effects in some patients, including another form of inflammatory bowel disease called Crohn’s disease, liver damage, birth defects, suicidal thoughts, and severe depression. The FDA has required a black box warning be put on all containers of Accutane, warning of all risks associated with the drug. A black box warning is the FDA’s strictest warning and reserved for only the most serious side effects.

Can I file a lawsuit against Accutane for ulcerative colitis?
If you have suffered from a serious Accutane side effect such as Accutane ulcerative colitis, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer. An Accutane ulcerative colitis lawsuit can be filed in any state within the United States. However, in order to be successful against the manufacturer, generally you must prove that the manufacturer failed to warn you of the serious side effects.

Below, you’ll learn how clots form as a product of your body’s natural clotting system. This process will demonstrate why blood clots are especially problematic. If you have suffered from side effects please contact us for the latest Yaz lawsuit 2010 news.

Basics Of Normal Clot Formation

Blood flows from your superficial veins into your deep veins through connecting perforating veins. It then flows from your deep veins into a large vein called the vena cava. The vena cava leads directly to your heart. Blood flows into the right side of your heart, and then to your lungs before being pumped out to the rest of your body. It travels through your arteries to your organs and tissues.

When a vein or artery become traumatized, bleeding occurs. Your body reacts to the problem by forming a clot. It does so by activating platelets and thrombin, both of which are essential to the body’s clotting system.

Platelets roam throughout your bloodstream looking for injuries. When such injuries occur, your body activates these platelets, causing them to accumulate and clump together at the site of the trauma. At the same time, your body activates a protein called thrombin. This protein is instrumental in converting a “glycoprotein” called fibrinogen into fibrin. Fibrin forms a protective mesh with the activated platelets over the injury.

When the traumatized wall of the blood vessel has been repaired, your body initiates a process called fibrinolysis. The activated platelets are deactivated, allowing them to disperse from the site of the trauma. An enzyme called plasmin then begins to digest the mesh of fibrin. Thus, the clot eventually “dissolves.”

How Yaz And Blood Clots Are Treated

Blood clots form outside the body’s normal clotting system. This is due to the hormone estrogen – a known factor in hypercoagulation – and a relatively new synthetic progestin called drospirenone. It is believed that estrogen increases the number of platelets in your bloodstream, and their tendency to clump together. Progestins, such as drospirenone, allow the blood vessels to relax, thereby increasing the risk of pooling. Because these clots form in the absence of a venous or arterial injury, they are not sufficiently dissolved through fibrinolysis.

Medications can be given to treat abnormal clots. Some drugs, such as anticoagulants, are aimed at preventing the conversion of fibrinogen into fibrin. Others, such as antiplatelets, are aimed at minimizing the sticky quality of platelets, and thus prevent them from clumping. Both anticoagulants and antiplatelets are designed to slow the pace of clotting, as opposed to eliminating clots that already exist.

Thrombolytic drugs, such as tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), are given to initiate the conversion of plasminogen into plasmin. Recall that plasmin digests fibrin, the mesh that forms over wounds to create clots.

Complications From Abnormal Clotting

Treatment of Yaz problems and blood clots is done to prevent the onset of serious – and even life-threatening – medical problems. Earlier, it was noted that deep vein thrombosis can lead to venous valve insufficiency, pulmonary embolism, stroke, and heart attack. This can occur when clots break free of the venous lining and travel to the heart through the vena cava.

If they migrate into the arteries of the lungs, they can cause a pulmonary embolism. If an pulmonary arterial blockage causes blood pressure to rise, your heart may be forced to work harder to pump blood to the lungs. This can lead to heart failure or an arrhythmia, such as atrial fibrillation. This latter condition may cause blood clots to form in the left side of your heart. If they leave through the aorta, they can travel to your brain and cause a stroke.

Blood clots pose serious risks. If you have suffered abnormal clotting, DVT, or other Yaz side effects, you may have the right to file a claim for compensation. Contact a Yasmin lawsuit attorney to discuss your options.

Almost any nutrient or chemical that can get through the natural filter between mother and child can affect a baby negatively or positively. Because we live in such a medication and chemical filled world today, we are just starting to realize what effects our choices of medications can have on our growing children. One such medication that can have terrible side effects for developing babies is Paxil, an antidepressant medication not recommended for pregnant women but often prescribed for them anyways.

What Does Paxil Do?

Paxil is a medication that falls into the category of serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors. Serotonin is the chemical in your brain that causes sensations of well-being and happiness. It is released, at certain times, into the spaces between your brain’s neurons, the synapses. The chemical has an almost immediate effect, but it is almost immediately reabsorbed by the neuron.

While causes of depression are still really unknown, we do know that depressed people can often feel better if this reuptake process is slowed somewhat. If serotonin is given a chance to sit between the synapses for longer, depressed people may feel better. Paxil and other reuptake inhibitors may work very well for the chronically depressed, but they can definitely harm developing babies.

How Paxil Affects Babies

Paxil birth defects are still being studied, but it’s clear that the when the medication is used by pregnant women, particularly during their first and third trimesters, it can be incredibly harmful to developing children. One theory is that serotonin in a developing baby’s brain, a brain which is already beginning to form during the first trimester, helps to develop things like vision, thought, and memory. By disrupting the natural serotonin reuptake process, Paxil side effects may cause a child to be depressed and sad more often than other children, as well as to develop more slowly.

Besides these developmental problems, though, Paxil birth defects can be much more severe. It is difficult to understand why, but this drug can cause cranial and heart defects in developing babies. It is also likely to cause babies to have PPHN, a potentially fatal disorder that causes the heart to function improperly at birth.

If you or a family member has developed Paxil birth defects or Paxil PPHN, it may be time to look into your legal options including a Paxil lawsuit. Many people have argued that the manufacturer of this drug did not adequately warn doctors and pregnant women of its risks for unborn children.

Short-Term Accutane Side Effects

The side effects of Accutane in the short term can be frustrating and annoying, and they may simply leave you feeling sick all the time. These side effects include things like headaches, fatigue, brittle nails, and muscle pain. Even though Accutane is meant to get rid of acne, it can actually cause worse skin problems, such as infections, acne flare-ups, and severely dry skin. It may also cause more serious problems, such as menstrual issues and increased sensitivity to sunlight.

These side effects are bad enough, especially considering the fact that the medication isn’t even meant to treat a life-threatening problem. It gets even worse, though, when you look at the Accutane long-term side effects that have been found in various patients.

Accutane Side Effects Long Term

One of the most devastating long-term side effects of this medication is Accutane Ulcerative Colitis or Accutane Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Both of these digestive problems can wreak havoc on an otherwise healthy person’s life, and many users of this drug have taken the company to court over their long-term side effects. Accutane Crohn’s lawsuits are also being filed, as the medication has also been linked to this terrible disease when used for a number of months or years.

Although an Accutane lawsuit for Crohn’s Disease is one of the most common type of lawsuit coming from users of the medication, it can also have some other devastating long-term side effects. These may include severe depression accompanied by suicidal thoughts, or even birth defects in babies of women who are taking the medication on a regular basis while they are pregnant. Liver damage due to an allergic reaction to one of the ingredients in this medication is also a somewhat common side effect for those who take the drug over the long term.

What Can You Do?

In order to first avoid Accutane side effects and Accutane long term side effects, you need to talk with your doctor about the medication. It may be a feasible short-term acne treatment solution for some patients, but it can also cause these serious problems. It is vital that you don’t take any other medications with Accutane, unless specifically directed to do so by a doctor who is aware of the fact that you are on this particular medication.

If you have already had problems with Accutane Crohn’s, Accutane IBD, or any other Accutane symptoms and problems, it may be worthwhile to contact an attorney with experience in this area. An Accutane lawsuit settlements attorney may be able to help you get compensation from the manufacturing company of Accutane.

What is Reglan?
Reglan is an oral medication used to treat diabetic gastroparesis, which is the delayed movement of food from the stomach into the intestine, and GERD, which is a backup of stomach acid into the esophagus. Symptoms of these conditions include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, heartburn, and chest pain. Reglan is produced by Schwarz Pharma. Reglan was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1985. It is generically known as metoclopramide.

How does Reglan Cause Tardive Dyskinesia?
Reglan tardive dyskinesia is caused by its drug, metoclopramide. It occurs most often when people take Reglan for long periods of time, but in some cases, Reglan tardive dyskinesia can occur after taking the drug for a short period of time.

What are the Symptoms of Reglan Tardive Dyskinesia?
Common symptoms of Reglan tardive dyskinesia include:

• Facial grimacing;
• Jaw swinging;
• Tongue thrusting; and
• Repetitive chewing.

If you experience any of these Reglan tardive dyskinesia symptoms, you should seek immediate medical attention.

What is the prognosis for Reglan tardive dyskinesia?
If Reglan tardive dyskinesia is diagnosed and treated early, the condition may be reversed by stopping taking Reglan. However, even if a person stops taking Reglan, the involuntary movements may become worse, and may even be permanent.

The FDA Warns About Reglan Side Effects
The FDA has acknowledged that Reglan can cause tardive dyskinesia and other side effects. On February 26, 2009, the FDA mandated that Reglan have a “black box” warning label on the box. This black box warning is the FDA’s strictest warning. Black Box warnings indicate that a medication has the potential to cause life-threatening side effects.

What other side effects does Reglan cause?
In addition to causing Reglan tardive dyskinesia problems, Reglan can cause depression, suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, jaundice, neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS– a life-threatening neurological condition marked by delirium, fever and muscle rigidity), seizures, aldosteronism, a condition where the adrenal glands produce excessive hormones and cause low blood-potassium levels, and agranulocytosis, a condition characterized by low levels of white blood cells.

Reglan Tardive Dyskinesia Lawsuit
If you have suffered Reglan tardive dyskinesia, you may have important legal rights. A Reglan lawsuit is a way to seek legal justice for damage caused by Reglan.

Your body has a natural clotting mechanism that repairs injuries within your veins and arteries. This mechanism prevents blood from escaping. Once repairs have been completed, an agent called plasmin starts to digest fibrin, one of the main components of a thrombus. This is the process by which clots are dissolved.

When blood clots caused by Yaz form, they do so outside your body’s normal clotting mechanism. As a result, they are not sufficiently dissolved by plasmin. Instead, they remain attached to the venous or arterial walls, where they pose a danger of breaking away and migrating to other areas in your body. Below, you’ll discover how this leads to the dangerous Yaz side effects mentioned earlier.

Venous Thrombosis

Thrombi can form within superficial veins or deep veins. The former lie near the surface of your skin. Clots that form within them rarely pose a serious problem because they do not break away from the venous wall.

By contrast, thrombi that form within the deep veins (i.e. DVT) do pose a problem. Unlike superficial veins, these veins are surrounded by muscles, which contract around them whenever you move your limbs. When the muscles contract, they compress the veins and push blood toward your heart and lungs. These contractions can also cause thrombi to break away from the venous wall. When this happens, they are carried along with your bloodstream.

When Yaz blood clots migrate to your heart and lungs, they pose a danger of finding their way into a pulmonary artery. These arteries feed blood to your lungs. An embolus (i.e. a traveling mass, such as a thrombus) that lodges within one of these arteries can starve the lung tissue of blood. This triggers pulmonary embolism. It is estimated that 90% of diagnosed PE cases are caused by thrombi that have migrated from the deep veins.

Arterial Thrombosis

Thrombi can also form within the arteries. In most cases, this occurs when plaque builds up along the arterial wall and ruptures, which triggers the body’s natural clotting mechanism. Yaz blood clots can also form along the arterial walls. Similar to venous thrombosis, they pose a risk of breaking away.

Veins carry blood to your heart and lungs in order to pick up oxygen. Arteries carry oxygenated blood away from your heart to your organs and tissues. When a thrombus forms within an artery and breaks away, it can migrate to other areas of your body. An embolus can potentially migrate toward your brain.

Your internal carotid artery feeds blood and oxygen to your brain through a supporting network of secondary arteries. An embolus that lodges within one of these arteries can prevent blood and oxygen from reaching a portion of your brain tissue. This causes an ischemic stroke. The brain tissue supplied by the blocked artery begins to die, potentially causing a number of debilitating side effects.

Yaz side effects involving blood clots are dangerous because they can form within the deep veins or arteries. If they break away and travel with your bloodstream, they can trigger pulmonary embolism, stroke, and other serious Yaz problems. If you or someone you know has suffered abnormal clotting after using this birth control pill, contact an experienced birth control attorney. Find out whether you have a legal right to file a Yaz lawsuit against the manufacturer.

Currently Ocella, Yasmin and Yaz litigation is ongoing and there haven’t been any Yaz lawsuit settlement amounts to report for women suffering from gallbladder problems. Doctors normally recommend laparoscopic cholecystectomy to resolve Yaz gallbladder disease symptoms. This is a surgical procedure during which your gallbladder’s connections to nearby structures are cut and the organ is removed. Some women have suffered dangerous bile duct injuries, infection, and other problems as a result of undergoing the procedure.

Some women have also experienced a condition known as postcholecystectomy syndrome (PCS). It is characterized by the same symptoms that are present during a gallbladder attack. Estimates suggest PCS occurs in 5% to 40% of patients who undergo gall bladder removal surgery. The condition can be serious. So too, can the consequences of leaving the underlying cause untreated.

Possible PCS Symptoms Following Yaz Gallbladder Removal Surgery

Symptoms of postcholecystectomy syndrome vary by patient. You may experience the same type of abdominal pain present with symptomatic Yaz gallstones. You might also suffer nausea, bloating, and persistent diarrhea. Jaundice, often present in severe cases of gallbladder disease, is rare with PCS, though still possible.

These symptoms may continue to present immediately following a cholecystectomy, or they can emerge years – even decades – down the road. Identifying their root cause is often problematic since they can be set off by one of many possible triggers.

What Causes Symptoms Associated With PCS?

The most common problems associated with PCS occur due to changes in the way bile flows to the small intestine. Bile is normally stored in the gall bladder where it is concentrated for use in digestion. When food enters the small intestine, the gallbladder contracts, pushing the concentrated fluid into the common bile duct.

Following the removal of the gall bladder, bile flows directly from the liver to the small intestine. This causes the upper portion of the gastrointestinal tract to have continuous exposure to bile fluid. Doctors suspect this exposure can lead to gastritis and in some cases, esophagitis. Both conditions may present symptoms similar to gallbladder disease.

Another possible cause of PCS-related symptoms is sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. The sphincter of Oddi is a small group of muscles located near the bottom of the bile duct. It controls the passage of bile (as well as pancreatic secretions) into the duodenum. If it fails to work properly following a cholecystectomy, fluids may be prevented from flowing into the small intestine. Instead, bile fluid and digestive enzymes from the pancreas will be trapped within the duct. This can cause abdominal pain, fever, nausea, and vomiting.

Because symptoms similar to Yaz and Yasmin gallbladder disease may indicate a serious health risk – for example, pancreatitis or infection – seeking medical attention is critical.

Treating The Underlying Issue

Your doctor will need to perform a thorough examination to diagnose the root cause for symptoms of postcholecystectomy syndrome. Treatment depends entirely upon the triggers indicated by this diagnosis.

For example, if sphincter of Oddi dysfunction is causing the pain, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with balloon dilation of the sphincter muscles can be done. If the root of the problem is gastritis, antacids and proton pump inhibitors can be given to provide a measure of relief. Bile duct stones, duct leaks, strictures, irritable bowel syndrome, and many other problems can potentially cause PCS symptoms. Each is addressed differently, either with medications, through surgery, or both.

Yaz gallbladder disease typically results in the surgical removal of the gallbladder. Even though the operation is common, it poses risks. Bile duct injury may allow bile fluid to leak into the abdominal cavity, causing infection and pain; strictures may cause bile to back up to the liver, eventually damaging the organ; sphincter of Oddi dysfunction can prevent bile and pancreatic secretions from entering the small intestine. These problems can be dangerous.

If you have suffered gallstones, gallbladder disease, or postcholecystectomy syndrome after using Yasmin, Ocella or Yaz birth control, please contact for a free no-obligation consultation and latest news on Yaz lawsuit settlements. You may have the legal right to file a claim for compensation.

Yaz gallbladder injury involving gallstones may develop when cholesterol-heavy bile sits within the gallbladder and stagnates. The excess cholesterol forms tiny crystals, which clump together into larger particles. These particles form the basis of stones. Some people think this process occurs because Yaz birth control causes the liver to secrete higher-than-normal levels of cholesterol while reducing gallbladder motility (i.e. contractions).

Stones can remain within the gall bladder or migrate into the common bile duct, a part of the biliary tree that leads to the small intestine. When stones cause Yaz gallbladder disease, the most common form of treatment is to surgically remove the organ. This procedure, however, does not resolve bile duct stones. A different approach is required: ERCP with endoscopic sphincterotomy.

How ERCP Is Used To Detect Yaz Gallstones

Diagnosing gallstones that are present within the bile duct is usually a multi-step process. Preliminary blood tests may show elevated levels of bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase; both indicate the possibility of bile duct stones.

An imaging test called ultrasonography may further support this suspicion. However, this test is used primarily for detecting stones in the gall bladder; it is far less accurate for imaging the duct system. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) are more accurate than ultrasonography. The downside is that both require the injection of a contrast dye in order to produce images of the bile ducts.

These diagnostic tests build a case for conducting a more invasive test called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). A thin, flexible instrument called an endoscope is inserted into the patient’s mouth. It is passed down the esophagus, through the stomach, and into the duodenum (the top portion of the small intestine).

The endoscope is positioned near the sphincter of Oddi, a valve that separates the bottom of the biliary tract from the duodenum. A thin tube is passed through the endoscope, past the sphincter of Oddi, and into the bile duct. A radiopaque dye is released into the duct and flows up the biliary tract. X-rays are taken to examine the structure and identify obstructions. If Yaz gallstones are detected within the duct, they can be removed with a procedure called endoscopic sphincterotomy.

Removing Bile Duct Stones With Endoscopic Sphincterotomy

The thin tube through which the radiopaque dye was released is removed. In its place, another instrument is passed through the endoscope. The purpose of this second instrument is to make a small incision in the muscles of the sphincter of Oddi, thus widening the opening into the small intestine. An alternative approach is called endoscopic balloon dilation; a balloon is inflated in the sphincter of Oddi to enlarge the opening.

Sometimes, the bile duct stones spill into the duodenum on their own. If this does not occur, they must be retrieved from the biliary tract. A catheter is passed through the endoscope into the bile duct. Its tip is equipped with a tiny basket, which is used to collect the stones for extraction.

This two-pronged approach (i.e. ERCP with endoscopic sphincterotomy) has a 90% success rate and prevents bile duct stones from causing serious problems.

Risks Of Not Treating Bile Duct Stones

If bile duct stones are left untreated, they can cause bile to back up within the biliary tree. This leads to further inflammation of the gallbladder. It can also set the stage for infection as bacteria climbs upward from the small intestine, through the tree, and into the gallbladder and liver.

If the stones migrate further down the bile duct, they can block the passage of pancreatic secretions. This leads to pancreatitis, a medical emergency that is potentially life-threatening.

Otherwise healthy women have suffered from Ocella, Yaz or Yasmin gallbladder problems and gallstones after using this oral contraceptive. When symptoms present, the gall bladder is almost always surgically removed. Common bile duct stones, however, pose an additional problem. ERCP with endoscopic sphincterotomy is required to remove them to prevent dangerous side effects.

If you or someone you know has suffered gallstones or gallbladder problems after using Ocella, Yasmin or Yaz birth control, take the time to explore your legal rights. Contact an experienced Yaz lawsuit gallbladder attorney to discuss your options.