A New York Times examination of the Mayo Clinic analysis of tissue damaged by the e-cigarette illness has shed new light on the nature and damage of the epidemic that continues to sweep the country’s e-cigarette users.
The Significance of the Mayo Clinic Analysis
According to the articles released following the Mayo Clinic analysis, lung pathology experts have examined samples of lung tissue from 17 patients. These patients were 13 men and four women, their ages were between 19 and 67 years of age, and approximately 70% had a history of using marijuana or cannabinoid oils. Of the tissue donors, 11 were from Arizona, five were from Minnesota, and one was from Florida. Two patients passed away after donating their tissue.
While the Mayo Clinic analysis sought to draw from a diverse population of patients affected by the e-cigarette illness, there was one common thread: all of the patients had severe chemical burns in their lungs. Dr. Brandon T Larsen, a surgical pathologist from Scottsdale Arizona told reporters “All 17 of our cases show a pattern of injury in the lung that looks like a toxic chemical exposure, a toxic chemical fume exposure, or a chemical burn injury.” In Dr. Larsen’s opinion, the samples resembled the lung damage expected from a worker in an industrial accident. Other pathologists have compared the chemical burns in patient airways to the damage suffered by soldiers exposed to mustard gas in the first world war.
Another significant finding of the Mayo Clinic analysis is what was not discovered in the biopsy. Vitamin E acetate, a common thickening agent in illicit THC fluids, was thought to be a potential culprit for the lung injuries suffered by victims of the e-cigarette illness. According to Dr. Larsen and the other pathologists who conducted the Mayo CLinic analysis, there was no sign of oil buildup in the lung tissue. Instead, there were white blood cells known as Macrophages that featured a “fine foamy-looking appearance” that was characteristic of chemical burns and injuries.
For some researchers, the Mayo Clinic analysis has been disappointing, but Dr. Larsen has taken an optimistic outlook on the results stating “maybe we need to look more closely at the chemical compounds, and not just oils, but the chemical constituents, to figure out which ones are injurious.” Until a cause can be identified for sure, treating and preventing the e-cigarette illness continues to be a struggle.
For more information about the dangers e-cigarettes pose to the body, visit Parker Waichman’s Vaping Device Heart Disease or Death Lawsuit Lawyers Page.
How the Mayo Clinic Analysis Affects Your Compensation
While the Mayo Clinic analysis advanced the struggle to identify the causes and cures of the e-cigarette epidemic, hundreds of patients are still suffering, many of them young adults or children. While the e-cigarette epidemic was almost completely unforeseen, the endangering of minors through suggestive advertising was not. If you or a loved one have been injured or hospitalized because of e-cigarette use, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation. If you choose to pursue your claim you will need a law firm with experience, drive, and a track record of getting results. That firm is Parker Waichman LLP.
At Parker Waichman LLP, teams of experienced trial attorneys are prepared to pursue your case to its fullest extent in the effort of recovering the compensation that you are entitled to. Don’t wait. Contact Parker Waichman today for a free consultation and begin your journey for justice.
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