Depo-Provera
Meningioma Lawsuit
Were you diagnosed with a meningioma after using the injectable
birth control Depo-Provera for at least one year?
Free Case Evaluation
Depo-Provera Meningioma Attorneys
The women’s health attorneys at Riley & Jackson are investigating these matters. If you think you may have a case, get in touch with us today for a free consultation.
How is
Depo-Provera Used?
Depo-Provera is a widely used contraceptive given by injection once every three months. Up to 30% of women may use the contraceptive at some point during their lives, and many of those women use the medication for longer than one year, which would be four injections.
Depo-Provera is an injectable progesterone (medroxyprogesterone acetate). While the medication is typically used for birth control, it may also be used to treat certain conditions such as endometriosis and ovarian cysts.
Depo-Provera
and Meningiomas
Recent scientific findings have determined there is a possible link between prolonged use of Depo-Provera and an increased risk of developing meningiomas. The most recent published medical study shows that Depo-Provera may cause a 5.5x increase in the risk of developing a meningioma. The manufacturer did not warn physicians or users about the possibility of developing meningiomas as a result of using the medication.
A meningioma is a type of tumor that forms in the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, which are called meninges. While they can be malignant, most meningiomas are non-cancerous.
Many meningiomas require surgery, which my involve a craniotomy during which the skull is opened, depending on where the meningioma is located. Surgery may also involve an endoscopic endonasal approach. While this surgery still requires general anesthesia, it is less invasive than a craniotomy. A few meningioma may be removed with neuroendoscopic surgery, which involves the insertion of a tube through the skull. Meningiomas located on the spine are approached with a spinal surgery, which involves an incision in the back. When a meningioma requires surgery, the patient may be required to remain in the hospital for a time ranging from a few days to two weeks, depending on where the meningioma was located, how large it was, and the type of surgery required to remove it. For patients who undergo a craniotomy, it can take 2-3 months for the portion of the skull that was removed to heal back into the rest of the skull.
For meningiomas that do not require or that are not appropriate for surgery, patients may still undergo a range of treatment or monitoring. Radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy are all options for some meningiomas. For patients who do not require treatment, physicians my recommend a type of monitoring called “watchful waiting”. During this time, patients may undergo costly scans and have clinic visits every 3-6 months at first and possibly once every year if the meningioma is not growing or causing symptoms. This period of watchful waiting will last until symptoms appear or the doctor determines the meningioma is growing in a way that may be dangerous to the patient.
Contact Us for a Free Consultation
If you have been diagnosed with a meningioma tumor following at least one year of using Depo-Provera,
you may be eligible for compensation.
Contact us today for a free consultation.
Depo-Provera Meningioma Study
A recent study has shown that use of Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) for longer than one year may increase the risk of intracranial meningioma tumor by 5.5-fold. Depo-Provera is an injectable form of progesterone and is used as a type of birth control but is also used to treat conditions such as endometriosis and ovarian cysts.
Meningioma is a non-malignant tumor which grows from membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, known as meninges. Meningioma is not usually cancerous but may press on the brain, nerves or vessels and may result in disability or become life-threatening.
Treatment of meningioma commonly requires surgery to remove the tumor. Surgical removal of a tumor located near the brain or central nervous system may place the patient at additional risk due to the possibility of nerve or brain tissue damage.