Yasmin Lawsuit Gallbladder

by admin on September 8th, 2010

Before Yaz and Yasmin gallbladder disease symptoms can be properly treated, other diagnoses must be ruled out. The characteristic abdominal pain and nausea that accompanies the condition may be due to gastroesophageal reflux disease, acute pancreatitis, appendicitis, or even kidney stones. Each clinical finding calls for a different treatment approach. Please contact us for a free consultation and the latest Yaz and Yasmin lawsuit gallbladder news.

One of the most common diagnostic techniques used for detecting gallbladder problems is ultrasound. While the test is imperfect, it offers a high degree of accuracy. Doctors can use ultrasonography to identify gallstones, thickening in the gall bladder’s wall, pancreatic problems, and many other abnormalities.

Ultrasound studies can be done transabdominally or endoscopically; each poses advantages and drawbacks. We’ll explore both approaches in more detail below.

Abdominal Ultrasonography

Ultrasonography uses high-frequency sound waves that penetrate the body’s tissues, and bounce off internal organs and fluids. These sound waves are emitted from a small device called a transducer. They reflect – or “echo” – back to this device, which sends the data to a computer that compiles an image of the body’s internal structures.

During transabdominal ultrasound, gel is applied on your skin, and the transducer is gently pressed against it. The sound waves are sent through the skin into your abdomen to reflect off your gall bladder, bile ducts, pancreas, and other structures within the biliary tree. The sound waves’ reflection signature carries slight differences in direction and pitch, all of which are recorded by the transducer. These differences are then transmitted to the computer, which uses them to create a real-time image.

The test takes approximately twenty minutes to complete. While it is considered an essential diagnostic study for detecting biliary tract issues, it poses a few limitations. First, it is most useful for identifying gallstones that are at least two millimeters in diameter. Stones that are smaller may not display clearly. Given that most cases of Yaz gallbladder disease symptoms are triggered by gallstones, this is a notable shortcoming.

Second, transabdominal ultrasound cannot accurately pinpoint bile duct stones. If such stones are suspected, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is usually necessary.

Endoscopic Ultrasonography

This approach to ultrasound is more invasive than abdominal ultrasonography. A transducer is affixed to the tip of a slender, flexible instrument called an endoscope. Prior to the test, a sedative is administered via IV.

Once the sedative has taken effect, the endoscope is inserted in your mouth, and advanced down your esophagus. Your doctor will further guide the instrument through your stomach, and toward your duodenum (the top section of your small intestine). The transducer performs the same job as before: it sends out high-frequency sound waves, records their reflection signature, and sends the corresponding data to a computer. The difference is that it is much closer to your organs and bile ducts. Thus, it provides clearer visualization of the biliary tract.

One of the advantages of endoscopic ultrasound is that it can detect gallstones that are smaller than two millimeters. It can also reveal bile duct stones, a task for which transabdominal ultrasound is poorly suited. It is not without drawbacks, however. The test is costly, sometimes unavailable, and poses a risk of side effects (e.g. organ perforation).

On rare occasions, both abdominal and endoscopic ultrasound studies may prove inadequate for confirming a diagnosis of gallbladder disease. Such cases require other tests. Your doctor may order a CT (computed tomography) scan, HIDA scan, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), or as mentioned earlier, ERCP. Each of these diagnostic studies offer varying levels of accuracy. Some, like MRCP, are more invasive than others.

Yaz, Yasmin and gallbladder disease have created biliary problems for many women who are otherwise healthy. Left unchecked, inflammation and infection can lead to gall bladder perforations, acute pancreatitis, and organ damage. If you have suffered from symptomatic gallstones, gallbladder disease, or other serious Yasmin side effects, you may be able to file a claim for compensation. Contact an experienced Yasmin lawsuit lawyer to discuss your options.