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MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Gout is an arthritic disease of your joints, caused by too much uric acid in your body. Normally, your liver processes various substances in your body, including purines, which are components of genetic material found both inside your cells, and in some foods you eat. When your liver breaks down purines, a waste product called uric acid is produced. Your body disposes of this waste through your kidneys, which remove it from your blood. When your liver produces too much uric acid, or your kidneys do not remove enough of it from your body, excess uric acid accumulates in your blood, resulting in a condition called hyperuricemia. Caffeinated beverages affect the waste-removal function of your kidneys by increasing your urine output, which eliminates too much water from your body-- a condition called dehydration. Dehydration can result in a higher concentration of uric acid in your body's fluids. When the concentration of uric acid becomes too high from any of these sources, it can no longer stay dissolved. The excess uric acid begins to form needle-like crystals inside your joints, most commonly in your big toe. Formation of uric acid crystals leads to an inflammatory response. White blood cells from your immune system attack the uric acid crystals, resulting in joint pain and inflammation. This is called an acute gout attack. If left untreated, elevated uric acid levels may result in lumpy deposits of uric acid around your joint, called a tophus, causing additional joint pain and disfigurement. Treatment for acute gout attacks includes, colchicine to prevent or reduce joint inflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce pain and inflammation, including aspirin, ibuprofen, such as Advil, Motrin, and Nuprin, naproxen, such as Aleve and Naprosyn, and steroid drugs such as prednisone. Treatment for chronic gout includes, drugs that promote uric acid excretion, and drugs that inhibit uric acid production by your body. Lifestyle changes to prevent recurrent or chronic gout include, reducing red meat and shellfish in your diet, limiting the consumption of alcohol, which is high in purines, limiting caffeinated beverages, exercising regularly, and drinking plenty of water.
"This past year, your company prepared three medical illustrations for our cases; two in which we received six figure awards; one in which we received a substantial seven figure award. I believe in large part, the amounts obtained were due to the vivid illustrations of my clients' injuries and the impact on the finder of fact."
Donald W. Marcari
Marcari Russotto & Spencer, P.C.
Chesapeake, VA
"Medical illustrations are essential evidence in personal injury litigation and MLA is simply the best I've found at producing high-quality illustrations. Your illustrators are not only first-class artists, but creative and responsive. Your turn around time is as good as it gets. My clients have won over $60 million in jury verdicts and I can't recall a case which did not include one of your exhibits. On behalf of those clients, thanks and keep up the great work!"
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idiosycratic compulsion to edit, but I've not found a bad apple in the bunch
(and, as you know, I've used your firm a bunch!).
I look forward to our continued professional relationship."
Kenneth J. Allen Kenneth Allen & Associates
Valparaiso, IN
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assistance you provided. It was a result of the excellent, timely work
that we were able to conclude the case successfully.
I feel very confident that our paths will cross again."
Fritz G. Faerber
Faerber & Anderson, P.C.
St. Louis, MO
Medical Legal Art creates medical demonstrative evidence (medical
illustrations, drawings, pictures, graphics, charts, medical animations,
anatomical models, and interactive presentations) for use during legal
proceedings, including research, demand letters, client conferences,
depositions, arbitrations, mediations, settlement conferences, mock jury
trials and for use in the courtroom. We do not provide legal or medical
advice. If you have legal questions, you should find a lawyer with whom you
can discuss your case issues. If you have medical questions, you should seek the advice of a healthcare provider.
