Studies suggest that phenytoin intoxication may cause irreversible focal cerebral atrophy. Victims of phenytoin intoxication may be eligible to receive compensation for their injuries as well as pain and suffering.

Phenytoin, also known as Dilantin, is a popular seizure medication often used to treat patients who suffer from epilepsy.

Focal cerebral atrophy is a serious condition that occurs when brain tissues degenerate and lose the neurons that connect them. Cerebral atrophy is a term used to describe generalized degeneration, when the whole brain shrinks, and focal cerebral atrophy describes the condition when it affects only a certain part of the brain.

Focal cerebral atrophy, potentially caused by phenytoin, is often referred to as cerebellar atrophy. This means the degeneration occurs in the brain’s cerebellum.

The cerebellum is a small, round structure at the base of the brainstem which assists in motor control. Many of the cerebellum’s functions are taken for granted in everyday life. However, cerebellum issues can have a profound affect on daily life.

A healthy cerebellum serves a variety of functions including maintaining balance, coordinating body movements, coordinating eye movements, motor learning, and more. Most people may not consider how these functions serve them until they are disrupted.

When a cerebellum is damaged, it can lead to difficulties in movement and coordination. This can present itself in a variety of ways including lack of coordination, lack of muscle control, difficulties walking, an unsteady gait, slurred speech, and abnormal eye movements.

Typically, damage to the cerebellum is caused by strokes, seizures, brain bleeds, toxins, genetic abnormalities, infections, and cancers. Some neurological conditions may also cause cerebellar damage; an example of this would be multiple sclerosis resulting in damage. However, cerebellar problems such as cerebellar atrophy may be caused by medications including Dilantin.

Dilantin Focal Cerebral Atrophy Study

According to a case study, long-term phenytoin use may give rise to irreversible focal cerebral atrophy.

The Dilantin study describes the case of a male patient who suffered from severe focal cerebral atrophy after an accidental phenytoin overdose. According to the report, the man came in suffering from delirium and ataxia, or loss of muscle control.

The patient had suffered from seizures for years which were medically controlled by taking phenytoin. One month prior to his hospital stay, a medical professional advised him to double his dosage of phenytoin for a single day after he experienced two generalized convulsions.

After he was admitted to the hospital, doctors continued to give the patient his proper dose of Dilantin along with other necessary medications. Unfortunately, the patient’s relatives also continued to provide the patient with his previously prescribed dosage of phenytoin.

This caused the patient to receive an overdose of phenytoin which medical professionals believe led to severe ataxia, or loss of control of his bodily movements, and focal cerebral atrophy affecting the patient’s cerebellum.

As early as 1994, researchers sought to understand Dilantin cerebral atrophy and its consequences. In the case control study, researchers wanted to see whether cerebellar atrophy in Dilantin patients was due to the medication or the seizures the drug was prescribed to treat.

After patient outcomes were examined, researchers concluded that cerebellar atrophy was more common in patients taking phenytoin. The study didn’t make a definitive conclusion about which factor was to blame and instead suggested that the factors may be “synergistic.”

According to some medical studies, even nontoxic levels of phenytoin when used long term can cause negative changes to a patient’s cerebellum.

According to the NIH, symptoms of cerebellar atrophy, or focal cerebral atrophy, include an unsteady lurching walk, often involving a back and forth tremor in the body, slow unsteady movements of the arms and legs, slow slurred speech, and/or small rapid movements in the eyes.

According to a study published in 2003, researchers believe that patients who suffered from moderate to severe cerebellar atrophy are likely those who had greater exposure to phenytoin, either due to duration or dosage.

In many cases, the symptoms of focal cerebral atrophy may be reversible once the patient ceases taking Dilantin, but in some severe cases where the medication was used long term, injuries may be permanent.

Dilantin Cerebellar Atrophy Lawsuits

Dilantin manufacturers have faced several lawsuits regarding Dilantin’s side effects, including one lawsuit filed in May 2019. Arizona plaintiffs Meredith T. and Roger W. reportedly suffered from cerebellar atrophy and other side effects after taking Dilantin for an extended period of time.

Meredith reportedly suffered from a seizure disorder for almost her entire life and took Dilantin for the management of her condition for several decades. More recently, Meredith allegedly developed cerebellar atrophy which caused her to suffer from memory loss, vision problems, gait disturbances, balance issues, and other problems. Meredith will allegedly suffer from these “substantial deficits” for the rest of her life and requires a live-in caretaker to help her with her daily life

Similarly to Meredith, Roger suffered from a seizure disorder for nearly his whole life. To treat the condition, Roger reportedly took Dilantin for several decades. He claims that, due to his treatment with Dilantin, he developed cerebellar atrophy. The degenerative neurological condition reportedly resulted in memory loss, gait disturbances, and balance issues which he will allegedly be forced to live with for the rest of his life.

Both Meredith and Roger claim that they were not sufficiently warned of the risk associated with Dilantin when they were prescribed the seizure drug. They claim that, because of the manufacturers’ acts and omissions, they sustained permanent neurological injury.

The Dilantin cerebellar atrophy lawsuit includes claims for failure to warn, defective design, manufacturing defect, fraud, fraudulent concealment, intentional misrepresentation, conspiracy, and more. The plaintiffs seek actual damages, compensatory damages, punitive damages, interest, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

Dilantin Focal Cerebral Atrophy Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

Product liability attorneys are currently looking for potential plaintiffs to bring phenytoin or Dilantin lawsuits against the pharmaceutical manufacturer.

Whether or not a person should pursue a legal claim is a decision that should be made on a case by case basis with the advice of a legal professional. Successful plaintiffs may receive compensation for their injuries.