Trasylol (aprotinin) is a drug that was widely used in surgery to help reduce bleeding. This drug was injected during complex surgery, such as heart and liver surgery, with the main effect of the slowing down of fibrinolysis, the process by which blood clots break down. The goal was to reduce the need for blood transfusions and organ damage due to hypotension.
However, studies showed that some patients undergoing open-heart surgery experienced a higher risk of death when Trasylol was administered. This is in addition to an earlier known increased risk of kidney failure. Already, it was suggested that this drug be reserved for patients that were thought to be at high risk for blood loss during heart-bypass surgery.
An independent study found that Trasylol increased the risk of kidney failure compared to patients undergoing heart surgery and given other drugs to control bleeding: aminocaproic acid or tranexamic acid. Of the more than 3,300 patients who completed the five-year study, 223 deaths occurred among 1,072 patients receiving Trasylol, or 20.8% of patients. Of the 834 patients who received aminocaproic acid, 132 died, or 15.8% of them. For the 442 tranexamic acid patients, there were 65 deaths, or a death rate of 14.7%. Of the 1,009 patients who didn't receive an agent to control bleeding there were 128 deaths, or 12.7% of them.
If you or a loved one received a Trasylol injection and experienced serious side effects, contact us today to determine if you may have a personal injury claim.