Can Materials in Recalled CPAP Machines Cause Liver Cancer?

 Posted on July 06, 2022 in Dangerous CPAP and BiPAP Machines

Sleep apnea, in which a person periodically stops breathing while they are sleeping, can seriously affect the quality of a person's sleep and their overall health. While multiple forms of treatment are available to address this issue, the most effective treatment for most people is to use a CPAP machine. These devices force air into a person’s nose or mouth while they are sleeping, keeping their airways open and ensuring that they do not stop breathing. Unfortunately, many people have lost their access to this form of treatment due to a recall of CPAP machines by a major medical product manufacturer. Due to this recall, people may not only need to deal with the loss of treatment, but they may also have been placed at risk of injury due to toxic materials in the recalled devices. There are a number of injuries and illnesses that may have affected CPAP users, including liver cancer.

Signs and Symptoms of Liver Cancer for CPAP Users

The recalled CPAP machines were found to be dangerous due to a foam that had been used to reduce noise while the devices were operating. This foam, which was composed of polyester-based polyurethane, could break down over the lifetime of a device, and users may have inhaled particles of this toxic substance, as well as dangerous chemicals.

Toluene diisocyanate is one chemical that has been found to be released when the foam in defective CPAPs degrades. This substance has been classified as a possible human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and it has been found to cause liver cancer and other forms of cancer in lab animals that had been exposed to the chemical. 

The liver helps filter toxic substances from the blood, and all of the blood in the body passes through the liver. This means that toluene diisocyanate absorbed into the bloodstream may affect the cells in the liver and cause cancer. Tumors may form that may affect the function of the liver, potentially leading to serious and life-threatening health issues, including liver failure. Some symptoms of liver cancer include:

• Swelling in the abdomen

• Pain and tenderness in the upper right section of the abdomen

• The formation of a lump on the right side of the abdomen below the ribs

• Loss of appetite

• Unexplained weight loss

• Excessive bruising or bleeding

• Severe fatigue and general weakness in the body

• Jaundice, a condition caused by overproduction of bile by the liver or blockages of bile ducts, resulting in a yellowish color of the skin or the whites of a person’s eyes

• Urine that is darker in color than usual

• Swelling in the legs

• Nausea and vomiting

• Confusion

• Loss of sex drive

If liver cancer is detected early enough, surgery may be performed to remove tumors or other cancerous tissue. If surgery is not possible, chemotherapy or other treatments may be used to kill cancer cells. If the liver becomes damaged beyond repair, a liver transplant may be possible.

Contact Our CPAP Liver Cancer Attorneys

If you are a CPAP user who has been diagnosed with liver cancer, our attorneys can help you determine your legal options. We will work with you to gather evidence to show that you were harmed by the use of a defective CPAP, and we will help you take legal action against the manufacturer to ensure that you will be properly compensated for your damages. Contact our defective CPAP injury lawyers today at 888-826-8682 to set up a free consultation.

Sources:

https://j2vjt3dnbra3ps7ll1clb4q2-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Philips-PAP-recall-webinar-slides.pdf

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Toluene-diisocyanate#section=Hazards-Summary

https://www.webmd.com/cancer/understanding-liver-cancer-basic-information