or had an MRI with a gadolinium injection? Contact us immediately for a free evaluation.
Gadolinium Lawyers for Individuals with Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF)
The information on this page is provided for informational purposes only. As of 2011, the Simmons Law Firm is no longer accepting cases involving Bextra.
Filing a Lawsuit
The gadolinium injury attorneys at the Simmons Law Firm have experience dealing with serious, complex medical and product liability cases. Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis and Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy are very rare conditions that are almost exclusively linked to patients with kidney conditions having gadolinium contrast dye injections during an MRI or MRA procedure.
What is Gadolinium and Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF)
Gadolinium contrast dye injections are a routine part of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) scans. The gadolinium increases the contrast in the scans and helps doctors spot potential problems more accurately than with the scans by themselves. Unfortunately, some patients with chronic kidney problems have had serious, even lethal, problems following the contrast dye injections.
Gadolinium Side Effects
The side effect of Gadolinium is that it can cause Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF). Patients who have undergone an MRI or an MRA and have the following side effects should check if gadolinium dyes were used during the procedure1:
- burning, itchy or swollen skin
- hardening / tightening of the skin
- swelling of the joints
- yellowish eyes or yellow spots on the whites of the eyes
- red or darkish spots on the skin, stiff joints, loss of movement in the joints
- deep pain in the hips or ribs muscle weakness.
There is no known cure for NSF, and it can cause death.
Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF) Symptoms
Information on the Common Symptoms of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF)
Patients with Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF), also known as Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy (NFD), experience develop thickening of the skin and connective tissues throughout their bodies. This is known as fibrosis. The skin becomes so hard and thick that it restricts movement. It puts tremendous pressure on bones and joints and can even cause fractures.
Symptoms of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF) can also show up in other parts of the body, affecting the heart, diaphragm, lungs and other areas.
Symptoms of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis include:
- Burning
- Itching
- Swelling
- Hardening and tightening of 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
In some cases, it can take up to 18 months for NSF symptoms to appear after an injection, but they usually appear much sooner, even as soon as two days after the procedure. Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis is a progressive skin disease and does appear to move quite quickly. Within a few weeks of the start of NSF symptoms, many patients are confined to a wheelchair.
There is no known cure for Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis.
FDA Warning
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Public Health Advisory in December, 2006 about the potential link between Gadolinium and NSF/NFD.
At this time, the FDA had reports of 90 patients with moderate to end-stage kidney disease who developed NSF/NFD after an MRI with gadolinium-based contrast.
Filing a Gadolinium Lawsuit for Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis
Information About Filing a Gadolinium Lawsuit for Nephrgenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF) Patients
Nearly all cases of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis can be directly attributed to gadolinium injections in patients with advanced or end-stage kidney disease. This link was first announced by the FDA in 2006, at which time they suggested additional warnings be included in with gadolinium distribution.
Gadolinium helps doctors read MRIs, but it has also recently been linked to serious injuries. If you are considering filing a gadolinium lawsuit, our NSF attorneys understand the complex issues surrounding people that have been affected by Nephgrogenic Systemic Fibrosis and gadolinium contrast dye injections.
* Please note that recovery results vary per client. The recovery amounts in each case reflect the specific facts of that case. Further, recovery amounts in past cases are not a guarantee of future results.