Alloderm Lawyer Information

Alloderm is cadaver skin. That’s right – skin harvested from a cadaver. It is sometimes used by plastic surgeons for repair where skin grafts are appropriate. As strange as it sounds, it has been used with great success in many instances – but there have been some failures as well. And when Alloderm fails, it fails BIG.

Alloderm Uses

Alloderm was first produced in 1994 to offer skin grafts to burn victims by LifeCell. This cadaver skin has been used by many plastic surgeons for women who have lost their breasts due to breast cancer. The reasoning is that in order to cover the implants in reconstructive surgery, the surgeon needs more tissue than is readily available in the patient’s body. When this situation occurs, the plastic surgeon will use Alloderm as a replacement skin for the grafts needed to fully reconstruct the woman’s chest.

Alloderm has also found a use in the repair of hernias. When the patient’s abdominal wall is much too weak and a hernia occurs, Alloderm is used as a mesh to help reinforce the weaker areas. Issues have arisen with the Alloderm mesh as it has failed in many instances. This brings a patient back over and over again while the plastic surgeon tries to get it right. But, the more times a surgeon attempts to fix things, the weaker the tissue becomes.

If you need an attorney to help you in your quest to be ‘made whole’ when the Alloderm procedure has failed, you can count on an Alloderm lawyer at the Ogletree Abbott Law Firm.

Has Alloderm caused you any sort of injury or negative side effect?

Alloderm has never been approved by the FDA—it did not have to be. Because it is not a drug, the Federal Drug Administration has no control over its release or use. This does not make one feel very safe about using it, does it?

This leaves the choice up to you. Sure the surgeon is prescribing you the best treatment that he knows about, in a perfect world…but what happens when this treatment fails? When it works, it is a wonderful solution – but when it doesn’t, it can become a nightmare that you can only hope to wake from quickly.

So why do doctors continue to use Alloderm? It could be that they feel it is the best option; it could be that the provider of Alloderm makes the doctors an offer that is better than the alternative. Or perhaps, it is that the doctor is willing to take those lousy odds when it is your body and not his or hers.

It’s hard to tell, but if you are on the bad end of a procedure in which Alloderm is used, then you need a smart lawyer to help you figure out who should be held responsible.

Alloderm Failing in Skin Grafts

One breast cancer patient reported that the Alloderm grafts failed when her breast implants were placed into her chest by her plastic surgeon for her chest reconstruction. The doctor used the Alloderm on top and on bottom of her implants because her pectoral muscles were too weak.

The plastic surgeon used an excessive amount of Alloderm and broke stated protocols by cutting off circulation to the flaps. The tissue became necrotic. One month later, she found a new plastic surgeon that then had to remove the black, necrotic skin, as well as the implants. This brought on the need for new skin grafts of her own just to get her to a starting point and then receive her breast implants.

Although this is an extreme case, the patient has yet to discover whether the Alloderm or the plastic surgeon is to blame. Calling an Alloderm lawyer was her best option.

Alloderm Failing in Hernia Repair

In hernia treatments, there have been an unusual number of issues, much higher than would be acceptable in medical treatments that must be FDA approved. In one study – out of 70 hernia mesh surgeries, 14 had recurrences of the hernia – that translates to 20% – 2 out of 10 – those are terrible odds. Add to this the 2 infections and 1 rejection out of that same 70 and it is even worse.

What is the problem? When the tissue is from an older cadaver, say, an 80-year-old, the skin is 80 years old; if the skin is from a 20-year-old, well, you get the picture. As a patient, you will have no idea how old the skin is that is being grafted to your body. There are some schools of thought that believe the failure rate is directly proportional to the physical age of the cadaver skin.

An Alloderm recall lawyer might be able to get this detailed information for you. But by the time you have called an Alloderm attorney, the damage is already progressing – you have already suffered due to the failure of your Alloderm patch repair.

What Are Your Hernia Repair Options?

You can certainly agree to a hernia repair using the Alloderm mesh patch. Do your homework when choosing your surgeon. Has the surgeon used this before? How many times? How successfully? This should help you to make an educated and informed decision.

Hire an Alloderm Lawyer Today if Your Procedure Went Wrong

Thinking about an Alloderm lawsuit? Are you tired of the runaround from the surgeon you relied on to take care of your hernia or breast reconstruction? Are you unable to get the answers you need?

A skilled Alloderm recall attorney from the Ogletree Abbott Law Firm can help you in your fight. We will analyze your medical file and let you know whether you have a reasonable chance of recovery against the LifeCell organization or if your recourse is against your medical facility or provider. You no longer need to worry about whom to hold responsible – we will figure that out for you.

That said, we realize it is difficult when you consider suing to recover for your losses. Not only do you have to figure out how to calculate the value but how best to approach the problem. Well, think about it no more. We have it handled for you. From the first phone call to the last appearance in court, we are your advocates. And as we advocate for you, we will do so with the diligence you would expect from a top tier law firm. We know it’s not about a big payday for you; it’s about getting your life back to normal in the quickest manner possible.