Gadolinium Based Contrast Agents Such As Omniscan (Gadodiamide) Found to Cause Serious Skin Disorder Called Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis or Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy

Introduction: If you or a loved one has experienced a skin disorder called Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF, also known as Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy, NFD) – sustained as a result of the injection of a gadolinium based contrast agent such as Omniscan used in MRIs and MRAs (gadodiamide), you may have a lawsuit that should be pursued. Although our Gadolinium – Omniscan lawyers are located in Maryland (MD), Virginia (VA) and Washington, D.C. (DC), our drug litigation is national in scope, and our Omniscan – Gadolinium lawyers are prepared to file lawsuits and litigate Omniscan – Gadolinium cases around the country. Therefore, regardless of what state you’re from, please fill out our “Contact-Us” form on the left side of this web page or email us so that Ashcraft & Gerel, LLP can have an Omniscan – Gadolinium lawyer contact you to discuss your claim and the potential of a lawsuit.

Omniscan (gadodiamide) is a gadolinium containing contrast agent (MRI dye) commonly used by physicians in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). During an MRI or MRA, galodinium based contrast agents such as Omniscan are injected into veins of the patient so that the physician can view a clear and detailed picture of a patient’s internal organs, tissues, bones and/or vessels. In order to understand it’s function, although it is not actually a dye, gadolinium can be analogized to a dye, and will be referred to from time to time in this article as a dye or an MRI dye. Other gadolinium based contrast agents (MRI dyes) are Magnevist, MultiHance, OptiMARK and ProHance.  GMRIs and MRAs are typically ordered by physicians in order to detect abnormalities such as tumors, clots, bleeds, and the like.

Manufactured by GE Healthcare, the Omniscan gadolinium based contrast agent (MRI dye) was launched in the U.S. in 1993. However, on June 6, 2006, GE Healthcare issued a safety advisory for Omniscan, warning certain physicians that the use of the Omniscan contrast medium (dye) in an MRI or MRA on a patient with pre-existing renal (kidney) issues may lead to that patient developing a very serious medical condition involving the skin called Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF), which is also known as Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy (NFD) (hereinafter referred to as NSF and NFD).

NSF/ NFD has thus far been observed almost exclusively in patients with kidney disease or renal dysfunction. NSF/NFD leads to thickened, rough and/or hard skin, which can sometimes lead to limbs becoming difficult or even impossible to move. In some instances, NSF/NFD is a progressive disease that can also lead to death. Other signs of NSF/NFD also include:

• Burning
• Itching
• Swelling
• Hardening and tightening of the skin
• Red or dark patches on the skin
• Yellow spots on the whites of the eyes
• Stiffness in joints and trouble moving or straightening the arms, hands, legs, or feet
• Pain deep in the hip bones or ribs
• Muscle weakness

After accumulating numerous reports of NSF/NFD in patients, the United States Food & Drug Administrations (FDA) issued public health advisories in June and December of 2006. Based on the reports the FDA has received thus far, patients typically experienced symptoms of NSF/NFD from 2 days to 18 months after exposure to the gadolinium based contrast agent (MRI dye) such as Onmiscan.

If you or a loved one has experienced any of the abovementioned symptoms after undergoing an MRI or MRA with a galodinium based contrast medium (MRI dye), whether it was Omniscan,  Magnevist, MultiHance, OptiMARK or ProHance, you should visit your healthcare provider immediately. If a visit to your healthcare provider is warranted, you also owe it to yourself to speak to an experienced pharmaceutical and medical product liability attorney to see if you have a case and to discuss the possibility of bringing a lawsuit to recover for your damages and injuries. The attorney will be able to ascertain if you have a claim for which a lawsuit can be pursued and whether the case and lawsuit can be brought to a successful settlement, verdict, award or other recovery. The experienced lawyer will also be able to advise you on any deadlines for bringing your legal claim for damages. Please contact the law firm of Ashcraft and Gerel, LLP to discuss your lawsuit with an experienced medical product liability lawyer in our Drug and Medical Product Liability Litigation Department.

The lawyers at Ashcraft and Gerel, LLP have been leaders in pursuing medical product liability lawsuits involving unsafe drugs, implants, and infusions for over 50 years. Our attorneys have successfully brought about verdicts, settlements, awards or other recoveries in lawsuits on behalf of clients who have been injured by Zyprexa, Fen-Phen, Rezulin, Propulsid, Phenylpropanolamine (PPA), Baycol, breast implants and AIDS tainted blood. Although some of these claims and lawsuits resulted in class action settlements, class actions are not the only way these cases are handled. The courts have devised methods to deal with mass torts so that each lawsuit can benefit from information and evidence gathered in other lawsuits nationwide and yet be handled on an individual basis.

We have a toll free number to reach an attorney to answer your questions with regard to your specific case. That number is 1-800-829-7037. Please ask to speak to Robert Samet, and he will place you in touch with one of our drug and medical product liability litigation lawyers. If you would prefer, please feel free to e-mail us. Please be sure to include your name, address, telephone number (if you wish to be called), email address and the exact nature of your question, so that our lawyer can provide you with the specific information you seek.