Hayti, MOAlthough Trasylol has been recalled, many people are only now realizing that they or their loved ones may have been given the drug during open heart surgery and may have suffered serious adverse reactions to the drug, including kidney failure.
Like many other people, Gigi B. is now trying to determine whether or not Trasylol caused a loved one's death. Gigi's mother passed away 18 months ago, shortly after open heart surgery. Gigi says that at first her mother seemed to be recovering well, but two weeks later she died of kidney failure. After watching the 60 Minutes segment on Trasylol, Gigi says she thinks her mother may have been given the drug.
"I saw [Trasylol coverage] on 60 Minutes and it's identical to our situation," Gigi says. "They had a guy who was given Trasylol and it seemed like the same exact thing that we went through."
Gigi says she was very surprised about her mother's death, especially considering she was told there was a very low risk of death involved in the surgery and her mother had never had kidney problems. Unfortunately, about 10 days after her quadruple bypass surgery, Gigi's mother experienced a severe decline in her health.
"They [doctors] thought she was well enough to be in her own room, but that's when she started going downhill." Only a few days later, Gigi's mother died. The official cause of death was kidney failure. Prior to her death, Gigi's mother was on 24 hour dialysis.
"I just hope that they don't give that drug to people with heart surgery anymore," Gigi says. "I believe they took it off the market now, didn't they? I wouldn't want anyone else to go through that unnecessary death."
Kidney failure is one of the more serious adverse reactions to Trasylol, and is a main reason why Trasylol has now been recalled. Unfortunately, it was used for a long time during open heart surgery to prevent bleeding and was often given to patients without their knowledge.
Patients and their family members are also investigating a possible lawsuit against the maker of Trasylol, alleging they were not adequately warned of the risks associated with the drug. If you or someone you love may have been given Trasylol during open heart surgery and suffered a negative reaction contact a lawyer to discuss your legal options.