Dallas V.A. medical malpractice attorney-Greco-says medicated patches cause MRI burns.
Dallas, TX (AmericanInjuryNews.com)–The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) www.fda.gov released a press release alert to medical imaging professionals, veterans affairs hospital risk managers, civilian hospital risk managers and patients using transdermal medicated skin patches on March 5, 2009. The FDA has received numerous reports that patients wearing the medicated patches while having an MRI scan may suffer from skin burns at the patch location site.
Medicated skin patches, known as transdermal patches, have become a common way to administer various medications, especially drugs used for chronic pain management. Many of these transdermal patches contain aluminum and other metals on their backings which adhere to the patient’s skin. These metal additives have been found to overheat during MRI scans causing burns to patients. The FDA is recommending health care professionals, especially doctors and nurses treating our nation’s military veterans, to advise our injured veterans to remove the medicated skin patches before having an MRI scan to prevent further unnecessary injuries and damages.
Many U.S. military personnel, returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, are treated at Veteran’s Administration Hospitals (VA) www.va.gov for chronic pain management from traumatic brain injuries and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to the FDA, medicated patches should be removed before the MRI scan and replaced after the MRI scan is complete. MRI facilities testing patients with transdermal patches should follow the published safe practice recommendations by the federal government concerning patients wearing medicated skin patches.
AmericanInjuryNews.com by Dallas Veterans Affairs Lawyer Shelly T. Greco. Practice areas: Veterans Affairs Medical Malpractice
Shelly Greco. Eberstein & Witherite, LLP. 3100 Monticello Avenue, Suite 500. Dallas, TX 75205 – Toll Free: (888) 407-6669
