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Liver transplants have become a standard option for patients whose liver no longer functions well enough to maintain life. A liver transplant involves the surgical removal of a diseased liver which is then replaced with a healthy liver. Recovery from liver transplant surgery can take several weeks, but once recovered the patient is usually able to live a full and normal life.

There are many types of treatment for liver disease that do not involve an transplant. However, for those patients who do not respond well to other treatments, and their disease worsens, a transplant may be the only option. A new liver gives patients the chance to live full and active lives. Recent studies have shown that between 80 and 90% of liver transplant patients are alive one year after the operation.

You may be in need of a transplant if you are experiencing the following symptoms:

• Skin jaundice and yellow eyes
• Bruising
• Swollen stomach
• Itching
• Loss of weight and appetite / weak muscles
• Pale or black stools / dark urine
• Tiredness / loss of concentration / confusion / personality changes
• Problems with sleeping

Liver failure and damage may arise after use of certain medications. In the last several years, the number of dangerous drugs has increased and many drug recalls have been issued. Drugs such as Arava, Rezulin, Trovan, and Serzone have all reportedly caused severe liver damage and failure in some patients after their use.

Arava is normally prescribed to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Since 1998, there have been over 1.5 million prescriptions written for Arava in the US. It has been linked to several deaths caused by liver failure. Studies have proved that Arava is associated with as many as six times more cases of fatal liver damage than other more widely prescribed medications.

Rezulin is another drug that has been linked to liver disease. The FDA recalled Rezulin on March 21, 2000. As of January 2002, at least two lawsuits have been successfully prosecuted against the drug maker, which resulted in jury awards of 24.9 and 43 million dollars to each victim. Rezulin sales provided Warner-Lambert with almost $1.8 billion in revenues. Since its introduction, Rezulin has been linked to 90 cases of liver failure.

Trovan is an powerful antibiotic used to treat infections. It is manufactured by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. After its approval by the FDA in 1997, Trovan was prescribed more than 300,000 times per month. However, doctors soon realized that the drug could be toxic. Trovan lead to liver failure and damage and in some cases even death. The drug was pulled off the market after 140 documented cases of serious liver damage were reported. Today, this drug is given only as a last resort.

Serzone is made by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. There have been many reported cases of liver failure leading to transplants and death in patients taking this medication. In December 2001, the FDA required the company to include a special warning on labels stating the Serzone could produce potentially life-threatening liver damage or failure.

The warnings and recalls that are eventually given to the public regarding these, and other drugs, often comes too late for some victims.

If you or a loved one has suffered liver damage or required a liver transplant because of the adverse side effects of certain medications, you may be able to receive monetary compensation for the damages and injuries that you have suffered. Consult with an attorney so that your legal rights are protected and do not delay as there are time limits (“statute of limitations”) in which you have to file a legal claim.

Most importantly, if you have taken any of the drug products discussed above, it is important to discuss any symptoms that you are experiencing with your doctor.

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