A recent issue of the science journal Nature described a paradigm shift among lethal infections that may be "ravaging the brain" and causing the development of serious traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and traumatic brain injury side effects such as brain swelling, seizures and epilepsy.
Infections such as meningitis have been thought to cause damage to the brain, but not to the extent that an infection is actually causing, according to recent studies. Researchers tested the effects of a meningitis infection by injecting the disease into mice. They found that blood vessels begin exploding in addition to the cells that were once thought to be responsible for brain damage. Researchers are continuing to look into the effects of meningitis as a major cause of TBI, but for now have determined that new brain injury treatments are likely needed to treat meningitis-induced TBI.
What is Meningitis?
Meningitis occurs in an individual as an infection of the fluid surrounding a spinal cord and the brain. There are two common forms of meningitis that are often described in the news: bacterial meningitis and viral meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is often considered a deadly bacteria that can quickly cause brain injury and brain damage including hearing loss and learning disabilities, according to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC). Viral meningitis is listed as "generally less severe" and can be healed without a specific treatment, although research now describes both viral and bacterial meningitis as more harmful to the brain than once thought.
The disease is considered very contagious, although less so than the common cold or flu. Bacterial meningitis can be spread through an "exchange of respiratory and throat secretions" such as kissing, coughing or sharing drinks, food and utensils, according to the CDC.
There are vaccines against meningitis but individuals should also be aware of signs and symptoms of the condition as well, especially if they work in an office, day care, school-type environment, etc. The Meningitis Foundation of America described the following symptoms of the condition:
vomiting
headache
drowsiness
seizures
high temperatures
joint pain
stiff neck
rash
sensitivity to light
infants may have a high-pitched cry, dislike being held while arching back
pale skin color
high fever
TBI Side Effects
Unfortunately there are a vast number of side effects and conditions that can develop when a patient suffers from a traumatic brain injury incident. There are treatments that are being developed and several clinical trials that are always ongoing, but much of a TBI treatment also depends on the victim and the victim’s prognosis. However, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) reports that the following conditions are common among TBI victims:
difficulty thinking, reasoning
memory problems
problems with sight, touch, taste, smell and hearing
inability to communicate, express and understand
behavioral issues, acting out
increased aggression
anxiety, depression
social inappropriateness
personality changes
stupor, coma
Living With A Brain Injury
Living with a traumatic brain injury can be a difficult scenario, for both a victim and their support group including friends and family. It is important that an individual who feels they may have suffered from a traumatic brain injury to seek a medical assessment immediately, as a brain injury can worsen if not treated properly.
Additionally, it may be necessary for a TBI victim to receive a free legal consultation from a brain injury attorney in order to develop a TBI lawsuit, which may provide an award of monetary compensation. Often, TBI treatments and medical diagnosis can be expensive, and if an individual has little to no coverage from health insurance, a brain injury could mean losing their home, job or more, which is why brain injury litigation may assist a victim in receiving treatment payment.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Attorneys
Mesotheliomas are rare neoplasms that originate from ectodermal cells that line the body cavities.
Mesotheliomas usually occur in older dogs, with an average onset at 8 years of age. However, documented cases of mesothelioma have been reported in patients from as young as 7 weeks to as old as 15 years.2-4 Extremely early age of onset (7 weeks old) suggests that congenital mesothelioma may occur infrequently in the dog.1 Bouvier des Flandres, Irish Setters, and German Shepherd Dogs appear to be at greater risk for tumor development,2 and mesotheliomas are more common in male than in female dogs.
Unfortunately, just as your dog or cat can bring unwanted fleas and other critters into the house, pets can carry asbestos too. They do so by transporting dust or dirt on their fur or feet if they spend time in places that have high levels of asbestos in the air and surrounding environment.
Tragically, a dog was reportedly the first animal to make asbestos and mesothelioma dangers known in 1931 to researchers before they became aware of its toxic effects upon humans.
Was Your Dog Exposed To Asbestos? Does It Have Mesothelioma?
Asbestos is a highly toxic and dangerous source of indoor air pollution. It is a recognized human carcinogen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the World Health Organization, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Unfortunately, just as your dog or cat can bring unwanted fleas and other critters into the house, pets can carry asbestos too. They do so by transporting dust or dirt on their fur or feet if they spend time in places that have high levels of asbestos in the air and surrounding environment.
According to the CDC´s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, asbestos exposure usually occurs by breathing contaminated air in workplaces that make or use asbestos. But it can also present in the air of buildings with asbestos that are being torn down or renovated
Complications from asbestos exposure can include two types of cancer: lung cancer and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the thin lining surrounding the lung (pleural membrane) or abdominal cavity (the peritoneum).
Mesotheliomas usually occur in older dogs, with an average onset at 8 years of age. However, documented cases of mesothelioma have been reported in patients from as young as 7 weeks to as old as 15 years.2-4 Extremely early age of onset (7 weeks old) suggests that congenital mesothelioma may occur infrequently in the dog.1 Bouvier des Flandres, Irish Setters, and German Shepherd Dogs appear to be at greater risk for tumor development,2 and mesotheliomas are more common in male than in female dogs.
Unfortunately, just as your dog or cat can bring unwanted fleas and other critters into the house, pets can carry asbestos too. They do so by transporting dust or dirt on their fur or feet if they spend time in places that have high levels of asbestos in the air and surrounding environment.
Tragically, a dog was reportedly the first animal to make asbestos and mesothelioma dangers known in 1931 to researchers before they became aware of its toxic effects upon humans.
Was Your Dog Exposed To Asbestos? Does It Have Mesothelioma?
Asbestos is a highly toxic and dangerous source of indoor air pollution. It is a recognized human carcinogen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the World Health Organization, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Unfortunately, just as your dog or cat can bring unwanted fleas and other critters into the house, pets can carry asbestos too. They do so by transporting dust or dirt on their fur or feet if they spend time in places that have high levels of asbestos in the air and surrounding environment.
According to the CDC´s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, asbestos exposure usually occurs by breathing contaminated air in workplaces that make or use asbestos. But it can also present in the air of buildings with asbestos that are being torn down or renovated
Complications from asbestos exposure can include two types of cancer: lung cancer and mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the thin lining surrounding the lung (pleural membrane) or abdominal cavity (the peritoneum).
Mesothelioma Rare But Serious
Malignant mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the lining of the lung (pleural mesothelioma) or the lining of the abdomen (peritoneal mesothelioma). The only known cause of mesothelioma in the U.S. is exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma has a long latency period, the time between first exposure to asbestos and the diagnosis of the disease. In rare cases the latency period has been as short as 10 to 15 years after the first exposure to asbestos; however, generally mesothelioma occurs between 20 and 40 or more years after an individual's first exposure. Diagnosing mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions.
Benign mesothelioma is a non-cancerous tumor of the pleura (lining of the lung and chest cavity). Nonmalignant mesothelioma is usually a localized tumor that affects men more frequently than women. The tumor may grow to a large size and compress the lung, which then causes the following symptoms: chronic cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity).
Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face. These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.
Approximately half of mesothelioma patients are asymptomatic (show no symptoms of disease). During a physical examination, a health care provider may notice a clubbed appearance of the fingers in a patient, which is an indication of the exposure/disease.The health care professional may run tests that identify mesothelioma. These tests include a chest x-ray, CT scan of the chest and/or and open lung biopsy.
There is no universally accepted protocol for screening people who have been exposed to asbestos. However some research indicates that serum osteopontin levels might be useful in screeningasbestos-exposed people for mesothelioma. The level of soluble mesothelin-related protein is elevated in the serum of about 75% of patients at diagnosis, and it has been suggested that assessing soluble mesothelin-related protein levels may be useful for screening.
Surgery is usually generally necessary for a solitary tumor (if found); however, according to current statistics, the outcome of the surgery is expected to be good with prompt treatment. One of the most common complications though is pleural effusion (fluid escaping into the membranes around the lungs), which can be very serious.
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home renovation using asbestos cement products.
Benign mesothelioma is a non-cancerous tumor of the pleura (lining of the lung and chest cavity). Nonmalignant mesothelioma is usually a localized tumor that affects men more frequently than women. The tumor may grow to a large size and compress the lung, which then causes the following symptoms: chronic cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, weight loss and cachexia, abdominal swelling and pain due to ascites (a buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity).
Other symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma may include bowel obstruction, blood clotting abnormalities, anemia, and fever. If the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium to other parts of the body, symptoms may include pain, trouble swallowing, or swelling of the neck or face. These symptoms may be caused by mesothelioma or by other, less serious conditions.
Approximately half of mesothelioma patients are asymptomatic (show no symptoms of disease). During a physical examination, a health care provider may notice a clubbed appearance of the fingers in a patient, which is an indication of the exposure/disease.The health care professional may run tests that identify mesothelioma. These tests include a chest x-ray, CT scan of the chest and/or and open lung biopsy.
There is no universally accepted protocol for screening people who have been exposed to asbestos. However some research indicates that serum osteopontin levels might be useful in screeningasbestos-exposed people for mesothelioma. The level of soluble mesothelin-related protein is elevated in the serum of about 75% of patients at diagnosis, and it has been suggested that assessing soluble mesothelin-related protein levels may be useful for screening.
Surgery is usually generally necessary for a solitary tumor (if found); however, according to current statistics, the outcome of the surgery is expected to be good with prompt treatment. One of the most common complications though is pleural effusion (fluid escaping into the membranes around the lungs), which can be very serious.
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or have been exposed to asbestos dust and fiber in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home renovation using asbestos cement products.
German MesotheliomaTreatment
Two years ago, Debbi Brewer from Plymouth in South West England was told she had mesothelioma. The lethal disease came as a consequence of hugging her father when she was a child. Her father who died from mesothelioma in the same year Debbi's illness was diagnosed, worked at Devonport Dockyard for the Ministry of Defence.
Having seen the suffering of her father, Debbi decided to try out a pioneering treatment in Germany and, since the treatment begun, has seen her cancer go into remission. She had her $7,000 a-time treatment, known as chemoembolisation, at the University Clinic in Frankfurt.
The treatment, which is usually used to fight liver cancer, involves inserting a catheter into the lung to administer drugs directly to the tumor Debbi has been told that her tumor is now less than half its original size and that it will not return.A German clinic recently began offering a new treatment for mesothelioma cancer patients known as chemoembolization. The treatment has been successful in only one patient -- a woman who developed mesothelioma after hugging her father when he returned home from working with asbestos fibers, which is linked to the development of the condition.
According to BBC News reports, following the treatment, the woman's tumor not only reduced by more than half, but her cancer went into remission as well.
The method of chemoembolization uses chemotherapy drugs delivered into the "site of a cancer tumor" and "since the chemotherapy drugs are delivered into the tumor, stronger doses of the drugs may be used," according to research from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute. For mesothelioma cancer patients, a catheter into the lungs may potentially be used to deliver the drugs to the cancer site. Because of the success of the treatment, research is continuing, according to news reports.
Developing Pleural Mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma occurs when mesothelioma of the chest develops. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), "the pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity." Mesothelioma occurs in general when cancer cells metastasize within the mesothelium, which is "a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body," reports the NCI.
Signs and symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include the following, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS):
* pain in the side of the chest
* pain in the lower back
* trouble swallowing
* cough
* fever
* sweating
* fatigue
* weight loss
* hoarseness
* coughing up blood
* swelling in the face, arms
* muscle weakness
* sensory loss
Often symptoms occur within two to three months prior to an initial diagnosis, according to the ACS. The symptoms of early mesothelioma are often unrecognizable as they remain dormant for years and, frequently, decades.
There are several tests that are used to identify and determine whether a victim has mesothelioma and if they have pleural mesothelioma. The ACS reported the following blood tests, fluid and tissue tests, and imaging tests as ways to pinpoint their condition:
* chest x-rays
* computed tomography scan
* positron emission tomography scan
* magnetic resonance imaging scan
* osteopontin protein blood tests
* thoracoscopy
* tissue biopsy
* laparoscopy
* thoracotomy
* laparotomy
* bronchoscopy
* mediastinoscopy
* immunohistochemistry
* DNA microarray analysis
What to Do Following a Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Once a mesothelioma diagnosis has occurred, there are several actions that can be taken to potentially treat the deadly condition. However, treatments are often not successful and the diagnosis of mesothelioma can be difficult to maintain. The NCI sponsors clinical trials, which can assist individuals with their mesothelioma diagnosis by offering potentially new mesothelioma treatments that can be administered and studied.
Having seen the suffering of her father, Debbi decided to try out a pioneering treatment in Germany and, since the treatment begun, has seen her cancer go into remission. She had her $7,000 a-time treatment, known as chemoembolisation, at the University Clinic in Frankfurt.
The treatment, which is usually used to fight liver cancer, involves inserting a catheter into the lung to administer drugs directly to the tumor Debbi has been told that her tumor is now less than half its original size and that it will not return.A German clinic recently began offering a new treatment for mesothelioma cancer patients known as chemoembolization. The treatment has been successful in only one patient -- a woman who developed mesothelioma after hugging her father when he returned home from working with asbestos fibers, which is linked to the development of the condition.
According to BBC News reports, following the treatment, the woman's tumor not only reduced by more than half, but her cancer went into remission as well.
The method of chemoembolization uses chemotherapy drugs delivered into the "site of a cancer tumor" and "since the chemotherapy drugs are delivered into the tumor, stronger doses of the drugs may be used," according to research from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute. For mesothelioma cancer patients, a catheter into the lungs may potentially be used to deliver the drugs to the cancer site. Because of the success of the treatment, research is continuing, according to news reports.
Developing Pleural Mesothelioma
Pleural mesothelioma occurs when mesothelioma of the chest develops. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), "the pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity." Mesothelioma occurs in general when cancer cells metastasize within the mesothelium, which is "a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body," reports the NCI.
Signs and symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include the following, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS):
* pain in the side of the chest
* pain in the lower back
* trouble swallowing
* cough
* fever
* sweating
* fatigue
* weight loss
* hoarseness
* coughing up blood
* swelling in the face, arms
* muscle weakness
* sensory loss
Often symptoms occur within two to three months prior to an initial diagnosis, according to the ACS. The symptoms of early mesothelioma are often unrecognizable as they remain dormant for years and, frequently, decades.
There are several tests that are used to identify and determine whether a victim has mesothelioma and if they have pleural mesothelioma. The ACS reported the following blood tests, fluid and tissue tests, and imaging tests as ways to pinpoint their condition:
* chest x-rays
* computed tomography scan
* positron emission tomography scan
* magnetic resonance imaging scan
* osteopontin protein blood tests
* thoracoscopy
* tissue biopsy
* laparoscopy
* thoracotomy
* laparotomy
* bronchoscopy
* mediastinoscopy
* immunohistochemistry
* DNA microarray analysis
What to Do Following a Mesothelioma Diagnosis
Once a mesothelioma diagnosis has occurred, there are several actions that can be taken to potentially treat the deadly condition. However, treatments are often not successful and the diagnosis of mesothelioma can be difficult to maintain. The NCI sponsors clinical trials, which can assist individuals with their mesothelioma diagnosis by offering potentially new mesothelioma treatments that can be administered and studied.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
MALCS
MALCS was set up over 6 years ago, to recruit mesothelioma and primary resected lung cancer patients from across the UK, and we have obtained MREC approval to continue recruiting patients until 2015.
We aim to identify the occupations and work practices currently conferring the highest risk of mesothelioma through telephone interviews with patients.
We would like to say a big THANK YOU to all those individuals and centres who have been recruiting patients for us over the years and encourage you to continue. We would also be delighted to hear from new centres able to recruit patients for us. We are actively seeking to recruit all female mesothelioma patients (of any age) and male mesothelioma patients aged under 60. In addition, we are seeking to recruit male resected lung cancer patients born after 1940. Data from the first 624 mesothelioma patients and 425 resected lung cancer patients interviewed and are just about to be published and anyone on our mailing list will receive an outline of these results.
The Inhaled Particles Study (TIPS) is closed to recruitment of new centres as we have enough centres currently participating.
TIPS was set up to evaluate the risk of mesothelioma to much younger (construction and other) workers. This study will also determine any possible risks from current environmental or DIY asbestos exposures.
If you would like to help us with MALCS and you see mesothelioma patients or resected lung cancer patients, we would be delighted to hear from you.
We aim to identify the occupations and work practices currently conferring the highest risk of mesothelioma through telephone interviews with patients.
We would like to say a big THANK YOU to all those individuals and centres who have been recruiting patients for us over the years and encourage you to continue. We would also be delighted to hear from new centres able to recruit patients for us. We are actively seeking to recruit all female mesothelioma patients (of any age) and male mesothelioma patients aged under 60. In addition, we are seeking to recruit male resected lung cancer patients born after 1940. Data from the first 624 mesothelioma patients and 425 resected lung cancer patients interviewed and are just about to be published and anyone on our mailing list will receive an outline of these results.
The Inhaled Particles Study (TIPS) is closed to recruitment of new centres as we have enough centres currently participating.
TIPS was set up to evaluate the risk of mesothelioma to much younger (construction and other) workers. This study will also determine any possible risks from current environmental or DIY asbestos exposures.
If you would like to help us with MALCS and you see mesothelioma patients or resected lung cancer patients, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Legal Advice
Although the risks of asbestos exposure and its relation to Mesothelioma have been known since the late 1950s and 1960s* asbestos was still widely used in many industries until the late 1970s, and later to a lesser extent. Unfortunately, despite the apparent dangers some employers did not provide adequate protection or take measures to prevent exposure.
The following is a list of occupations known to have put workers at risk of asbestos exposure. The list is not complete and final and you may have worked in a different occupation and experienced exposure to asbestos.
• Carpenters and Joiners
• Boiler, Pipe and Heating Workers
• Shipbuilding/Shipyard Workers
• Navy Seamen
• Dockworkers
• Laggers and Sprayers
• Mechanics
• Plumbers and Gasfitters
• Roofers
• Construction and Demolition Workers
• Painters and Decorators
• Electricians
• Railway Workers and Coach Construction
• Engineers
• Power Station Workers
• Laboratory and Research
• Asbestos Manufacture and Sales
Exposure was not limited to those who worked directly with asbestos. Mesothelioma can develop following para-occupational exposure. This means asbestos being taken outside the workplace and perhaps into the home on the work clothes of someone working with it, or following environmental exposure, for example, living near an asbestos factory.
The following is a list of occupations known to have put workers at risk of asbestos exposure. The list is not complete and final and you may have worked in a different occupation and experienced exposure to asbestos.
• Carpenters and Joiners
• Boiler, Pipe and Heating Workers
• Shipbuilding/Shipyard Workers
• Navy Seamen
• Dockworkers
• Laggers and Sprayers
• Mechanics
• Plumbers and Gasfitters
• Roofers
• Construction and Demolition Workers
• Painters and Decorators
• Electricians
• Railway Workers and Coach Construction
• Engineers
• Power Station Workers
• Laboratory and Research
• Asbestos Manufacture and Sales
Exposure was not limited to those who worked directly with asbestos. Mesothelioma can develop following para-occupational exposure. This means asbestos being taken outside the workplace and perhaps into the home on the work clothes of someone working with it, or following environmental exposure, for example, living near an asbestos factory.
Self Techiniques
Breathing is often easier if the person sits up and leans forward with their arms supported, for example on a table.
Standing and leaning forward can also help.
Sitting at a table with head resting on pillows or forearms or standing upright, hips and back leaning against a wall may also help.
A fan may also help by blowing cool air onto the face. Similarly sitting by an open window often helps.
The use of oxygen is not usually required unless specifically recommended by a doctor. In the majority of cases a flow of cool air works just as well.
Breathing control techniques can help patients to regain a sense of mastery over distressing shortness of breath. These simple techniques can be taught by physiotherapists, some Macmillan or lung cancer nurses, palliative medicine or hospice teams or through ‘Breathe Easy’ groups run by the British Lung Foundation.
Breathlessness can make people anxious. If anxiety is severe it can make the breathlessness worse. In addition to learning breathing control, a light sedative available such as lorazepam or diazepam may help. Relieving anxiety also helps to relieve muscular tension in the chest wall which affects breathing.
Relaxation exercises, self-hypnosis or visualisation are techniques that can also help patients deal with breathlessness – they are often taught by complementary therapists and advice can be obtained from Macmillan nurses, palliative care teams or hospices.
Standing and leaning forward can also help.
Sitting at a table with head resting on pillows or forearms or standing upright, hips and back leaning against a wall may also help.
A fan may also help by blowing cool air onto the face. Similarly sitting by an open window often helps.
The use of oxygen is not usually required unless specifically recommended by a doctor. In the majority of cases a flow of cool air works just as well.
Breathing control techniques can help patients to regain a sense of mastery over distressing shortness of breath. These simple techniques can be taught by physiotherapists, some Macmillan or lung cancer nurses, palliative medicine or hospice teams or through ‘Breathe Easy’ groups run by the British Lung Foundation.
Breathlessness can make people anxious. If anxiety is severe it can make the breathlessness worse. In addition to learning breathing control, a light sedative available such as lorazepam or diazepam may help. Relieving anxiety also helps to relieve muscular tension in the chest wall which affects breathing.
Relaxation exercises, self-hypnosis or visualisation are techniques that can also help patients deal with breathlessness – they are often taught by complementary therapists and advice can be obtained from Macmillan nurses, palliative care teams or hospices.
Legal Assistance
Most mesothelioma lawsuits can be divided into 2 categories - one is where the person suffering from mesothelioma is living (a personal injury case) and in the second is where the person with mesothelioma cancer has died (wrongful death case), and the plaintiff is a spouse, relative and/or representative of the deceased person's estate. In cases where the person who would normally be the plaintiff is deceased, an alternate individual (usually the spouse or a close relative) will stand in as the plaintiff, and the injuries that are claimed include the loss of life itself. The most important part of a wrongful death case is locating persons who worked with the plaintiff to provide testimony that the deceased individual would have provided regarding work history and asbestos exposure.
If you or a person that you love has recently been diagnosed with Mesothelioma lung cancer, please call our office today for a free confidential consultation no matter where you live. Our staff will gladly help you understand the critical medical and legal issues surrounding mesothelioma diagnosis, treatment, and financial recovery. Because of the very aggressive nature of mesothelioma as a disease, it is important that the patient and his or her family move very quickly to document the facts and circumstances particular to the individual’s exposure to asbestos. This also includes gathering all information on work history, the types and brands of asbestos products encountered in ones past, as well as the different work locations where exposure may have occurred and names of any co-workers. Can assist you in this important research by providing access to asbestos documents, catalogs, and advertisements (dating from 1940 to 1970). These resources and images are often crucial in jogging the memory and aiding in the proper identification of products that were worked with or around. We able to work with local mesothelioma attorneys in any state where you might be, there is never any need to travel or inconvenience the mesothelioma patient and his or her family in any way. If a patient with mesothelioma hires our firm, a complete investigative procedure is immediately initiated and this professional documentation will speed this process along so that we may quickly determine the appropriate course of legal action. With almost all of our mesothelioma patients, a lawsuit must be filed immediately in order to obtain sworn statements of work history, evidence of exposure, product identification, and the client’s physical and mental condition. In the case where a diagnosed client is unable to come to our offices, depositions (interviews) may be conducted at their home, hospital, or any other location which is comfortable and convenient to the client. If a deposition is not possible due to the progressed stage of the disease, other methods of obtaining the required proof of exposure and resultant illness will be pursued with the assistance of the client’s closest relatives.
If you or a person that you love has recently been diagnosed with Mesothelioma lung cancer, please call our office today for a free confidential consultation no matter where you live. Our staff will gladly help you understand the critical medical and legal issues surrounding mesothelioma diagnosis, treatment, and financial recovery. Because of the very aggressive nature of mesothelioma as a disease, it is important that the patient and his or her family move very quickly to document the facts and circumstances particular to the individual’s exposure to asbestos. This also includes gathering all information on work history, the types and brands of asbestos products encountered in ones past, as well as the different work locations where exposure may have occurred and names of any co-workers. Can assist you in this important research by providing access to asbestos documents, catalogs, and advertisements (dating from 1940 to 1970). These resources and images are often crucial in jogging the memory and aiding in the proper identification of products that were worked with or around. We able to work with local mesothelioma attorneys in any state where you might be, there is never any need to travel or inconvenience the mesothelioma patient and his or her family in any way. If a patient with mesothelioma hires our firm, a complete investigative procedure is immediately initiated and this professional documentation will speed this process along so that we may quickly determine the appropriate course of legal action. With almost all of our mesothelioma patients, a lawsuit must be filed immediately in order to obtain sworn statements of work history, evidence of exposure, product identification, and the client’s physical and mental condition. In the case where a diagnosed client is unable to come to our offices, depositions (interviews) may be conducted at their home, hospital, or any other location which is comfortable and convenient to the client. If a deposition is not possible due to the progressed stage of the disease, other methods of obtaining the required proof of exposure and resultant illness will be pursued with the assistance of the client’s closest relatives.
Symptoms
This section describes symptoms that may be experienced by people with Mesothelioma. It will include how these symptoms can be managed, based on medical evidence wherever possible. With care, much can be done to lessen the impact of most symptoms. In complex cases this requires the involvement of a variety of professionals - the multidisciplinary approach - such as doctors from palliative medicine and pain specialists, oncologists (cancer specialists), specialist nurses, physiotherapists, complementary therapists, psychologists and others. UK trade names for medicines are placed in brackets when used.
This section does not contain an exhaustive list of symptoms that may occur in mesothelioma. If you are concerned about any symptoms do go and discuss them with your GP, Macmillan nurse or hospital consultant and ask for specialist referral if the problems persist.
This section does not contain an exhaustive list of symptoms that may occur in mesothelioma. If you are concerned about any symptoms do go and discuss them with your GP, Macmillan nurse or hospital consultant and ask for specialist referral if the problems persist.
Diagnoses
Diagnosing Mesothelioma is often difficult, because the symptoms are similar to those of a number of other conditions. Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical history, including any history of asbestos exposure. A complete physical examination may be performed, including x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. A CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI may also be useful. A CT scan is a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body created by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. In an MRI, a powerful magnet linked to a computer is used to make detailed pictures of areas inside the body. These pictures are viewed on a monitor and can also be printed.
A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of Mesothelioma. In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncologist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer) removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs.
Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples. If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a peritoneoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument called a peritoneoscope into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.
If the diagnosis is Mesothelioma, the doctor will want to learn the stage (or extent) of the disease. Staging involves more tests in a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to which parts of the body. Knowing the stage of the disease helps the doctor plan treatment.
Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.
A biopsy is needed to confirm a diagnosis of Mesothelioma. In a biopsy, a surgeon or a medical oncologist (a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer) removes a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. A biopsy may be done in different ways, depending on where the abnormal area is located. If the cancer is in the chest, the doctor may perform a thoracoscopy. In this procedure, the doctor makes a small cut through the chest wall and puts a thin, lighted tube called a thoracoscope into the chest between two ribs.
Thoracoscopy allows the doctor to look inside the chest and obtain tissue samples. If the cancer is in the abdomen, the doctor may perform a peritoneoscopy. To obtain tissue for examination, the doctor makes a small opening in the abdomen and inserts a special instrument called a peritoneoscope into the abdominal cavity. If these procedures do not yield enough tissue, more extensive diagnostic surgery may be necessary.
If the diagnosis is Mesothelioma, the doctor will want to learn the stage (or extent) of the disease. Staging involves more tests in a careful attempt to find out whether the cancer has spread and, if so, to which parts of the body. Knowing the stage of the disease helps the doctor plan treatment.
Mesothelioma is described as localized if the cancer is found only on the membrane surface where it originated. It is classified as advanced if it has spread beyond the original membrane surface to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, lungs, chest wall, or abdominal organs.
Names
The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body.
The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity.
The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity.
The pericardium covers and protects the heart.
The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis.
The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity.
The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity.
The pericardium covers and protects the heart.
The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis.
Plumber using asbestos
There are a number of standard products that plumbers use on a routine basis. Many of these products contained asbestos which increased their risk of exposure to asbestos dust and on the job for developing pleural mesothelioma later on in life. Provided below is a representative cross-section of products that plumbers typically used that may have contained asbestos.
Aircell - corrugated asbestos paper, looks comparably like gray cardboard (Trade names: Asbestocel and Carcycel, among others). This product is usually high in concentration, anywhere between 50 - 90% asbestos. It was also wrapped around air supply ducts.
Block Insulation - a combination of asbestos with other binders that was then hardened to create blocks for insulation. The outside surface was commonly covered with cloth made from canvas or tar paper, but it was occasionally used without any covering at all.
The following are types of block insulation commonly used by plumbers:
Amosite Sheeting: amosite (a type of asbestos) that was processed and covered with felt that was mainly used for pipe insulation.
Carbonate of Magnesia: asbestos combined with magnesium carbonate.
Diatomaceous Earth with Asbestos Fiber: a combination of diatomaceous silica (the remains of microscopic diatoms) and asbestos fiber that could withstand temperatures up to 1900° Fahrenheit.
Hydrous Calcium Silicate: known as 'Calsil', made primarily of lime and silica but with a small amount of asbestos that was included for mechanical purposes.
Joint/Elbow Fillers: also called 'insulation cement' or 'insulation mud' made up of asbestos combined with bonding clays. This product was often poured into inaccessible spaces or used to seal pipe joints or elbows.
Laminated Asbestos Felt: known as 'asbestos sponge felt', made with asbestos and magnesia.
Aircell - corrugated asbestos paper, looks comparably like gray cardboard (Trade names: Asbestocel and Carcycel, among others). This product is usually high in concentration, anywhere between 50 - 90% asbestos. It was also wrapped around air supply ducts.
Block Insulation - a combination of asbestos with other binders that was then hardened to create blocks for insulation. The outside surface was commonly covered with cloth made from canvas or tar paper, but it was occasionally used without any covering at all.
The following are types of block insulation commonly used by plumbers:
Amosite Sheeting: amosite (a type of asbestos) that was processed and covered with felt that was mainly used for pipe insulation.
Carbonate of Magnesia: asbestos combined with magnesium carbonate.
Diatomaceous Earth with Asbestos Fiber: a combination of diatomaceous silica (the remains of microscopic diatoms) and asbestos fiber that could withstand temperatures up to 1900° Fahrenheit.
Hydrous Calcium Silicate: known as 'Calsil', made primarily of lime and silica but with a small amount of asbestos that was included for mechanical purposes.
Joint/Elbow Fillers: also called 'insulation cement' or 'insulation mud' made up of asbestos combined with bonding clays. This product was often poured into inaccessible spaces or used to seal pipe joints or elbows.
Laminated Asbestos Felt: known as 'asbestos sponge felt', made with asbestos and magnesia.
History of the Plumbing Trade
Plumbing is a subset of a larger group of construction trades that also includes pipelaying, pipefitting, and steamfitting. Plumbers are responsible for installing, maintaining and repairing water, waste and gas pipe systems on residential and/or small commercial properties. Pipefitters work primarily on large commercial sites and steamfitters specialize in pipes that transport highly pressurized substances. Though the history of plumbing dates back to Ancient Times, it wasn't until the mid-1800's that somewhat effective plumbing systems were developed and employed in the United States. Early pipes were made of wood until the nineteenth century, when a change was made to iron. Indoor plumbing made its first known stateside appearance in luxury hotels, and Boston's Tremont Hotel led the way in 1829. Five years later, pioneering architect Isaiah Rogers brought an improvement to his initial design at New York's Astor House. Until more sanitary sewer systems were constructed in the 1840's, many people in the USA thought bathing to be a health hazard. Ever the trendsetter, Benjamin Franklin is said to have imported America's first bathtub. The first of many plumbing companies still in business today appeared in the 1890's with businesses such as American Radiator (which then became American Standard), The Kohler Company, and Crane Corporation. And from the late 1920's to the early 1950's, the plumbing trade really began to flourish, as sales of plumbing supplies increased by a staggering 367 percent.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
