Trasylol is commonly used to control bleeding in heart surgeries. It was approved by the FDA in 1993, and is a colorless solution administered through an IV during heart surgeries. When it first appeared on the market, it included a warning about possible anaphylactic reactions, but declined to note the possible links to renal toxicity.

The lawsuit, filed October 20 by James Foster Mathis, alleges he experienced renal failure after he was administered Trasylol on June 28, 2004, before an aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass graft.

“Trasylol was indicated for prophylactic use to reduce perioperative blood loss and the need for blood transfusion in patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass surgery,” the suit states. “The effects of Trasylol use in cardiopulmonary bypass surgery involve a reduction in inflammatory response, which translates into a decreased need for allogenic blood transfusions and reduced bleeding.”

Since Trasylol’s approval by the FDA in 1993, 4.3 million patients have been subjected to the potentially lethal drug, Mathis claims. In 2005 alone, Trasylol generated about $293 million in sales, the complaint says.

Mathis says he suffered acute renal failure and permanent injuries as a result of his exposure to Trasylol. Numerous other lawsuits have been filed against Bayer for Trasylol use.

To read the entire article, view the West Virginia Record.

For more information on what you can do if you have been affected by Trasylol, please contact Drug Alert Updates.