Tag: baltimore medical mistake law firm

Paralysis Caused By Spinal Surgery

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An ideal outcome in spinal surgery is dependent of the coordination of efforts by the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and neurophysiologist. Because patients are under general anesthesia during surgery, techniques for examining the nervous system for potential injuries can be somewhat limited. Intraoperative spinal cord monitoring (IOM) allows the surgeon to record the electrical signals transferred along the spinal cord and use this recording to prevent neural irritation or spinal cord injury during surgery.

Electrodes are placed on the patient’s body to monitor and record nerve signal responses throughout the spinal surgical procedure. The most common forms of spinal cord monitoring during surgery are EMG (electromyography), SEP (somatosensory evoked potentials) and MEP (motor evoked potentials). Ideally, this is done in an efficient manner without interrupting the flow of the operation and producing unnecessary interruptions.

The monitoring personnel must be able to detect and understand the source of any variables in spinal cord signals in order to deal with them appropriately. An intra-operative disruption or complete loss of spinal cord electrical signals in the appropriate monitoring channels (either SEP sensors, MEP sensors, or both) is clearly an indication of significant disturbance of spinal cord function. If this is not recognized and sensation is not restored during the spinal surgery, severe spinal cord and/or spinal nerve root injury, up to and including partial or total paralysis, may occur.

If you or a loved one has suffered permanent neurological injury and/or paralysis due to a complication during spinal surgery, contact The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (800-403-7259). When you call, you will speak with an experienced Baltimore Medical Malpractice attorney absolutely FREE.

The attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced, caring professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination. Call us today to receive a free, confidential consultation about your possible case. At The Yost Legal Group, there is no fee or expense unless you recover.

 

Mismatched Blood Transfusion And Transfusion Reaction

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A blood transfusion is a common medical procedure in which donated blood is provided to a patient through a narrow tube (IV catheter) placed within a vein in the arm. Blood transfusions become medically necessary for many reasons, including a need to replace blood in patients who suffer significant bleeding as the result of a major surgery or accidental injury. Blood transfusions are also needed by patients with blood disorders which interfere with their body’s ability to manufacture blood and/or blood components, such as blood platelets.

The four major blood groups (A, B, AB, and O) are determined by the presence or absence of specific antigens (on the surface of red blood cells) and specific antibodies (in the blood plasma). Every person has an ABO blood type, and is either blood type A, B, AB or O. In addition, all blood is designated by its Rh factor, depending on whether or not it contains another blood cell surface antigen, called the Rh factor. Blood is either Rh-positive (if the Rh factor antigen is part of the surface of its red blood cells) or Rh-negative (if its red blood cells do not include Rh factor antigens). There are very precise ways in which blood types must be matched for a safe transfusion. The blood donor and the recipient must have their blood types checked and cross-matched to ensure that the recipient’s immune system will not attack the donor blood.

If incompatible blood is given during a transfusion (donor and recipient blood types do not match), the donor cells are treated as if they were foreign invaders, and the patient’s immune system attacks them accordingly. This creates life threatening complications for the patient. If a transfusion reaction occurs, it renders the blood transfusion useless and can cause a potentially overwhelming activation of the transfused patient’s immune system and blood clotting system. This may result in the patient going into shock, kidney failure, circulatory collapse, and death.

The safe and effective administration of blood transfusion procedures involves the coordinated care of a variety of professional groups including nurses, doctors, laboratory scientists and blood banks. With that being said, there is absolutely no excuse for a patient receiving an incompatible blood transfusion. This preventable, careless medical mistake is often referred to as a “never event” – a patient treatment error that should under no circumstances occur.

If you or a loved one feel you are the victim of a medical mistake, contact The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (800-403-7259). When you call, you will speak with an experienced Baltimore Medical Malpractice attorney absolutely FREE.

The attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced, caring professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination. Call us today to receive a free, confidential consultation about your possible case. At The Yost Legal Group, there is no fee or expense unless you recover.

Foreign Objects Left In Surgical Patients

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Leaving foreign objects (including sponges, needles and instruments) in patients during surgical procedures is a widely recognized medical error classified as a “Never Event”. The term “Never Event” refers to a hospital-acquired condition that should not, under any circumstances, occur. A surgical tool, such a sponge or forceps, placed inside a patient during surgery but not removed at the end of the surgical procedure, can result in serious complications including infection, vascular injury, organ damage, uncontrolled bleeding or other, life-threatening, injuries.

With more than 4,000 surgical “never events” occurring annually in the United States (as reported by a 2013 study of surgical errors), it is important to be aware of the circumstances and consequences surrounding retained surgical instruments (RSI) following a surgical procedure.

A surgical sponge is the most commonly reported RSI following surgery. However, instruments such as scalpels, needles, scissors, tweezers, forceps, clamps and tubing have also been documented. Once inside the patient’s body, an RSI can cause various complications depending on the type and location of the object left behind. Complications include: bacteria collection around the foreign object, producing infection; intestinal perforation; and, internal bleeding. The most common symptom is excruciating, unexplained pain in the patient – days, weeks or even months after a surgery. Additional surgery (frequently more extensive than the patient’s original, scheduled, procedure) is usually required to remove the item, once diagnosed.

Proper patient care and safety should always be the top priority in any medical setting.  In the operating room, standard procedure includes performing needle, sponge and instrument counts at the end of each surgical procedure but these counts are not always accurate. Medical negligence has occurred whenever a surgical instrument is left in a patient.

If you or a loved one feel you are the victim of a medical mistake contact The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (800-403-7259). When you call, you will speak with an experienced Baltimore Medical Malpractice attorney absolutely FREE.

We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you will never pay an attorney’s fee up front, and you owe us nothing unless we win your case.

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

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Cerebral palsy (CP) occurs in nearly 1 in every 500 births, making it is the most prevalent cause of motor function impairment. A disorder of movement, muscle tone or posture, CP is a neurological condition caused by brain damage which is usually suffered before, during or soon after a baby is born. CP may also cause seizure disorder (epilepsy), swallowing, speech and eye movement problems, and can cause intellectual disabilities.  Premature birth significantly increases an infant’s risk of CP.  There are several different types of CP, with each type classified according to the type of body movement and posture problem present. Ataxic cerebral palsy is the rarest type of cerebral palsy and involves the entire body.

Ataxic CP causes problems with:

  • Balance
  • Precise Movements (may reach too far or too close to touch objects)
  • Coordination (may walk with feet unusually far apart)
  • Hand control (may have trouble buttoning clothing, writing or using scissors)

If there is birth trauma during labor and delivery, it is possible for the baby to suffer from a brain injury due to hypoxia, or lack of oxygen. Medical staff is expected to monitor the baby’s heart rate and the mother’s contraction rate to ensure the safety of the baby and avoid birth injury. Medical negligence in this area could be the reason why you child suffers from cerebral palsy.

Motor functioning impairment greatly affects quality of life. Additionally, the cost of care for a child with brain damage is high. If your child’s brain injury was caused by a medical mistake at birth, or caused by an extremely premature birth which healthcare providers negligently failed to prevent (such as a failure to diagnose and treat preeclampsia), the experienced Birth Injury lawyers at The Yost Legal Group are here to help.

Call The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential, no-obligation consultation. When you call, you will speak with a Baltimore Birth Injury attorney with real experience absolutely free. At The Yost Legal Group, there is no fee or expense unless you recover.

 

Hypoxic Brain Injury- Intubation

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Tracheal intubation (TI), usually simply referred to as intubation, is a procedure performed by medical professionals in the setting of respiratory failure and shock. This procedure involves inserting a flexible plastic tube into the patient’s trachea (windpipe) to maintain an open airway, assist with breathing and can also serve as a channel through which to administer certain drugs.

Although intubation is a life-saving intervention, life-threatening complications may arise if this complex procedure is not done correctly. Negligent placement of the endotracheal tube into the esophagus, instead of the trachea, is a major cause of cardiac arrest and brain damage associated with intubation.  If this mistake is not immediately recognized and the tubing withdrawn from the patient’s esophagus, the patient’s airway remains blocked and hypoxic brain injury or anoxic brain injury can result from the asphyxiation caused by negligent intubation.

Patients must have a continuous supply of oxygen to the brain in order to survive. If the oxygen supply is interrupted, even for a short amount of time, the functioning of the brain is disturbed immediately and irreversible damage can quickly follow. Despite intubation guidelines and years of training in airway management, medical mistakes continue to be made, causing catastrophic complications to arise.

If you or a loved one feel you are the victim of a medical mistake, contact The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (800-403-7259). When you call, you will speak with an experienced Baltimore Medical Malpractice attorney absolutely FREE.

The attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced, caring professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination. Call us today to receive a free, confidential consultation about your possible case. At The Yost Legal Group, there is no fee or expense unless you recover.

 

Colonoscopies Help Millions of People Annually, But What Can Go Wrong?

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There are over 14 million colonoscopies performed annually. This can be a life-saving procedure for many individuals. Colonoscopy exams allow doctors to go inside the large intestine and the colon with flexible tubing attached to a small video recorder. The purpose is usually to use the video image from the recorder to identify polyps, ulcers, cancer or pre-cancerous growths. Tissue samples can also be collected and polyps can be removed during a colonoscopy.

Each year, colonoscopies are responsible for discovering about half of all diagnosed colon cancer, allowing them to save lives. Unfortunately colonoscopies can also do damage if the doctor performing the colonoscopy is unskilled, under-trained or negligent.

Injuries that can occur from colonoscopies include:

  • Hemorrhaging
  • Bowel Perforation
  • Splenic Tear or Rupture
  • Peritonitis
  • Sepsis

Up to 2.5% of colonoscopies involve serious injuries, with 0.03%-0.7% being colon perforation (CP). CP is widely recognized as one of the most serious complications following a colonoscopy. A perforated colon can occur during colonoscopy if too much force is used to advance the scope, creating a puncture or tear in the wall of the intestine. Perforation can also occur if the biopsy forceps cut a hole completely through the wall of the intestine. If perforation occurs, causing air and bacteria to leak into the abdomen, it is a medical emergency.

Symptoms of a perforated colon or large intestine may include:

  • Severe abdominal pain and tenderness
  • Chills
  • Fever
  • Nausea and vomiting

Most patients notice these side effects within 24-48 hours after the colonoscopy takes place. If the perforation goes untreated the patient can become septic. Sepsis occurs when the body has an extreme reaction to bacteria or germs. Symptoms of peritonitis and sepsis include:

  • Fever
  • Rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
  • Rapid respiratory rate (tachypnea)
  • Confusion.

People who have CP almost always need emergency surgery to repair the hole, either by closing it or by removing the torn or punctured section of intestine. However, occasionally the hole may close on its own, allowing the individual to only need antibiotics and very careful monitoring, with x-rays and CT scans to confirm the hole remains closed and no abdominal infection or abscess develops. Failure to recognize and treat perforation due to colonoscopy is medical negligence.

Complications due to the perforation during colonoscopy are the cause of preventable injury and death. Our experienced attorneys fight for individuals who have been negatively impacted by the negligence of others.

If you would like to discuss a potential claim arising from an intestinal perforation during colonoscopy, the attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination. For a free consultation, please call The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529.)

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Medical Professionals Often Fail to Diagnose Pulmonary Embolism

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Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a leading cause of preventable death in the United States, where it is estimated that at least 100,000 Americans die of PE every year. Pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot travels to the lungs, where it gets stuck and blocks blood flow, causing fluid and pressure buildup, damage to lung tissue and, in serious cases, cardiac arrest and sudden death. The blood clots which travel to the lungs to become pulmonary emboli first form in the deep veins within the body, and are called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVTs most typically form in the lower legs.

It is most common for people who are physically restricted to experience DVTs and PEs. When patients are in a cast or physically immobile for any reason, the lack of body movement slows down blood flow, allowing blood to easily clot. Recent surgery also puts individuals at a higher risk. In order to avoid PE after surgery, medical professionals should use compression stockings, pneumatic cuffs (called intermittent pneumatic devices, or IPDs), physical therapy, anticoagulant medication to keep the blood thin, or a combination of these preventive therapies.

Symptoms of pulmonary embolism include:

  • Sudden shortness of breath
  • Sharp chest pain
  • Rapid heart rate & breathing
  • Sweating
  • Anxiety
  • Coughing up blood
  • Fainting
  • Heart palpations

Often, by the time these symptoms are present, the patient’s life is in immediate danger and emergency treatment is needed. The period preceding the PE emergency may be the best time to prevent the PE, and involves careful observation of the immobilized or recent surgical patient, including observation of their arms and legs for unusual swelling, discoloration, an arm or leg warm to the touch, and assessment of any complaints of arm or leg pain or cramping.

It is important to know:

  • As many as 900,000 people are impacted by DVT and PE every year.
  • Sudden death is the first symptom of PE in almost 25% of people who have PE
  • One-half of the people who survive DVT and PE will have long term complications

Pulmonary embolism is the most common cause of preventable death in patients hospitalized for surgical procedures. Recent studies have also recognized PE as one of the most frequently missed diagnoses in living patients. Our experienced attorneys fight for individuals who have been negatively impacted by the negligence of others.

If you have had a pulmonary embolism after surgery because a health care professional failed to take the necessary precautions to ensure your safety call The Yost Legal Group at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a free consultation.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Prince George’s Hospital NICU Shut Down After Infants are Exposed to Dangerous Bacteria

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The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Prince George’s Hospital Center in Cheverly, MD has been shut down following the discovery of a dangerous, and potentially deadly, form of bacteria. Infants at the NICU are currently being transferred to other hospitals in an effort to prevent the spread of bacterial infections. At this time, nine infant patients have been transferred out of the Prince George’s Hospital Center NICU.

Infants in the NICU may have been exposed to a dangerous bacterium called Pseudomonas. The presence of the Pseudomonas bacteria was discovered following two recent deaths of infants being held in the NICU.

Officials at the hospital made it clear that these two infant deaths have not officially been linked to the bacterial outbreak. However, thus far three infants in neonatal intensive care at the hospital have tested positive for Pseudomonas.

Pseudomonas is a dangerous form of bacteria that is often found in hospitals. Pseudomonas can live on the hands of hospital workers, as well as on tainted medical equipment. Proper sanitization measures can help prevent the spread of Pseudomonas and other dangerous bacteria.

Unfortunately, exposure to Pseudomonas and other forms of dangerous bacteria in hospitals is more common than you might believe. According the Centers for Disease Control, these types of bacterial infections impact thousands of hospital patients every year:

  • An estimated 51,000 healthcare-associated Pseudomonas infections occur in the United States each year.
  • Pseudomonas infections cause an estimated 400 fatalities every year.
  • More than 13% of Pseudomonas infections are estimated to be multi-drug resistant, meaning that traditional antibiotic treatments may be unable to help affected patients.

Infants in Neonatal Intensive Care are at an extremely high risk of suffering from infections and other diseases due to their weakened immune systems. Exposure to Pseudomonas could be deadly for these children. An investigation is ongoing to determine how the bacteria was introduced to the NCIU as well as how long it may have been present.

Hospital errors cause an estimated 250,000 deaths in the United States every year.

If you or a loved one suffered an injury, infection, or any other serious harm as a result of the negligence of a hospital or medical professional, The Yost Legal Group may be able to help.

Call us today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (967-8529) for a FREE, confidential consultation. When you call, you will speak with an experienced Baltimore Medical Malpractice attorney about your potential case. We will investigate every detail of your situation at no cost to you, and help provide the answers you seek.

The Yost Legal Group is made up of experienced attorneys ready to pursue your case with compassion and dedication. At The Yost Legal Group, you will never pay an attorney’s fee up front, and you owe us nothing unless we recover for you.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

Recent Study Finds Medical Errors are Third Leading Cause of Death in the United States

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Even though medical professionals strive to provide the highest standard of care to their patients, thousands of medical mistakes take place every day in the US. Medical mistakes occur regularly due to communication breakdowns, diagnostic errors, poor judgment, and inadequate skill. These mistakes can directly result in patient harm and death, and are not identified on a person’s death certificate.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) compiles an annual list of the most common causes of death in the United States. The list is created using death certificates filled out by physicians, funeral directors, medical examiners, and coroners. However, a major limitation of the death certificate is that it relies on assigning an International Classification of Disease (ICD) code to the cause of death. As a result, causes of death not associated with an ICD code, such as medical error by a healthcare professional or medical equipment failure or hospital system failure, are not captured.

A new study published in a respected medical journal finds that hundreds of thousands of patients are fatally injured every year due to preventable medical mistakes. This study estimates that patient harm caused by medical errors is responsible for more than 250,000 deaths every year.

To put this figure into perspective, it would mean that medical care itself is the third leading cause of death in the United States, with medical errors accounting for nearly 1 out of every 10 fatalities in the U.S annually.

The doctors who conducted this study say that 250,000 patient deaths per year is actually a conservative estimate. The real number of patient deaths may in fact be much higher, due to the fact that medical errors leading to fatalities have been severely underreported for years.

If you or a loved one feel you are the victim of a medical mistake contact The Yost Legal Group today at 1-800-YOST-LAW (800-967-8529). When you call, you will speak with an experienced Baltimore Medical Malpractice attorney absolutely FREE.

The attorneys at Yost Legal Group are experienced, caring professionals ready to investigate your claim with compassion and determination. Call us today to receive a free, confidential consultation about your possible case.

At The Yost Legal Group, we will investigate every detail of your situation at no cost to you, and fight hard to ensure that your rights are protected.

We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you will never pay an attorney’s fee up front, and you owe us nothing unless we win your case.

The Yost Legal Group – Experienced Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Your Rights

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