Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis was first discovered in 1997 as a new condition that was affecting a very small portion of the population. It was found to only affect patients that had impaired kidney function and no known method was reversing the progress of the condition. A connection between the development of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis and solutions containing Gadolinium was discovered and warnings went out to the healthcare community to avoid using Gadolinium based solutions with patients that were experiencing or was suspected of having impaired kidney function.
Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis mainly affects the skin on the extremities of the body, causing the skin to harden and lose its elasticity. An itchy, burning sensation accompanies the changes in skin condition and the patient’s movement is restricted by the stiffening of the skin. The joints are unable to extend and contract correctly and the bones may even break because of the restriction of the skin in that area. The muscles beneath the skin will calcify and harden and the organs of the patient may be affected as well. The condition is considered to be life threatening and can be fatal to the person afflicted with the condition.
Because there is very little that is known about Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis, creating a treatment method for the condition is very difficult. There is not a currently recommended treatment method for combating the progression of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis, but there have been several treatments found that can help to alleviate the discomfort of the symptoms of the condition. The treatment method that is used for the symptoms of the condition will depend on the severity of the person’s case of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis at the time and which treatment methods the person responds to the best.
One treatment that is typically used to relieve the symptoms of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis is a prescription for oral steroid medications. The steroid medications have been shown to improve the function of the kidneys and reduce the effects of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis on the body. The most commonly prescribed medication for this treatment method is Prednisone, which can also be used to treat a number of other health disorders and inflammatory conditions.
There is also a topical treatment method that may be used that can help to relieve the itching and burning sensations associated with the development of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis. A topical medication known as Dovonex is applied to the affected area of the skin on a regular schedule to reduce the redness, itching, and irritation that occur as the condition progresses. This medication cannot halt the progression of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis, but it can relieve the symptoms and make the condition easier to manage.
Since the discovery of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis in 1997, only 300 people have been positively diagnosed with the condition. Each of these people were found to have taken an MRI imaging procedure using a Gadolinium based contrasting solution in the months prior to the development of the condition and all of the patients were experiencing renal failure or advanced kidney disease at the time of the imaging procedure. It is believed that the Gadolinium injection was not being eliminated from the body by the kidneys as it was supposed to and the breakdown of the solution within the body was causing the toxic Gadolinium ions to range freely throughout the body, damaging tissues and organs.
DO I HAVE A LAWSUIT?
If you or somebody you know has recently undergone an MRI or MRA procedure that used a Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agent, you should contact us immediately. You have rights and may be entitled to compensation for your Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis injuries.
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