The Miller Firm has filed a lawsuit involving the Mirena IUD device causing pseudotumor celebri. Pseudotumor celebri also referred to as intracranial hypertension is a neurological condition that can cause severe visual distortion, including blindness, frequent headaches and deficiencies with balance. The condition is usually diagnosed after a spinal tap or visual field testing. Treatment for the condition centers around decreasing the body’s cerebral fluid. This may include a drug regimen or more serious procedures such as the insertion of a spinal fluid shunt or optic nerve sheath.
Mirena is an intrauterine device manufactured by Bayer. It releases the hormone levonogestrel, which has been linked to pseudotumor celebri for years. In spite of this known linkage, Bayer failed to warn of the condition in its product packaging. Thus, doctors and patients were not informed of the risk and could not weigh the risk in their decision making process as to if Mirena was the best contraceptive device to use. What is even more disheartening, is that similar contraceptive devices using levonogestrel such as Norplant, contained warnings of pseudotumor celebri. Thus, Norplant users received warnings of pseudotumor celebri where Mirena users did not. As we have just filed our first case, we eagerly anticipate taking part in discovery that will provide greater clarity at the exact time frames as to the what, when, where, and who of Bayer knowing of this linkage. If you have used the Mirena IUD product and been diagnosed with pseudotumor celebri/IH, please give us a call at 1-866-529-3323.