Medical Malpractice Can Be a Result of Multiple Errors
Practicing medicine means making an almost endless series of decisions that depend on each other. In emergency situations, doctors must decide quickly on a course of action. They do not have time to take a complete medical history. If they are fortunate enough to have access to the patient’s complete medical chart, they must pick and choose which parts to review carefully. In a non-emergency situation, though, doctors should be thorough in reviewing a patient’s medical records, and even if, based on clinical experience, they are almost certain of a patient’s diagnosis before they perform lab tests, they should perform the lab tests to confirm the diagnosis. When one doctor makes a minor mistake, the results can be disastrous for the patient. When multiple doctors who treat the same patient for the same condition make mistakes, it is even worse. If one or more doctors made medical errors that made your condition worse, contact a Fort Lauderdale medical malpractice attorney.
When a Hasty Diagnosis and an Unclear Medical Chart Add Up to Disaster
Maria Elena Espinosa went to a neurosurgeon because of a tumor on the back of her head. The neurosurgeon diagnosed her with osteosarcoma based on clinical examination only, but he did not confirm this diagnosis with a biopsy. He planned to start chemotherapy after surgically removing the parts of the tumor that could be safely surgically removed. In preparation for surgery, Espinosa went to her primary care physician for tests so that the anesthesiologist could medically clear her for surgery before the surgeon began operating. She brought the test results with her to the hospital on the morning of the surgery.
Her test results revealed two findings that indicated that it was unsafe for her to undergo surgery; there was protein in her urine, and she had an abnormal EKG, although the printout showing it was blurry. This meant that the surgery was too risky, and the doctors should have waited until her health improved, or else indicated a course of treatment that did not involve surgery. Dr. Lorenzo, an anesthesiologist who was present at the hospital when Espinosa arrived, discussed these findings with her until Dr. Velazquez, the anesthesiologist who would be administering her anesthesia, arrived. The anesthesiologists were in a hurry that day, so Dr. Lorenzo briefly summarized his conversation with Espinosa to Dr. Velazquez before leaving the room. Despite all evidence that it was not safe to operate, the surgery proceeded. Espinosa suffered from low blood pressure, excessive blood loss, and eventually cardiac arrest, and she died before the surgery was complete.
To make matters worse, the autopsy showed that Espinosa never had osteosarcoma. Instead, the cause of her tumor was multiple myeloma, which is not treatable by surgery. Not only did she undergo a surgery that she was not healthy enough to undergo, but it was for a medical condition she never had. Her husband Rolando Ruiz sued the neurosurgeon and anesthesiologists involved with the misdiagnosis and the surgery.
Set Up a Consultation Today
A personal injury lawyer can help you if you got injured because of a medical error caused by a misdiagnosis. Contact Boone & Davis in Fort Lauderdale, Florida or call 954-566-9919 to explore your potential recovery options today.
Source:
law.justia.com/cases/florida/supreme-court/2018/sc17-1562.html
