Case Summary This case involves a patient who had sustained an open fracture of the heel bone during a fall from a significant height. The open fracture was diagnosed in the ER, where a cast was placed and the patient was discharged the next day without surgery. The patient’s wound infection spread eventually leading to […]
Category Archives: Case Studies
Monitoring of High Fall Risk Patients
Case Summary The case involves a 93 year old, female patient who was admitted to the ER with pneumonia. Within a half hour or so, she fell out of bed and broke her humerus while the nurse was changing her sheets. The patient was in the hospital for seven to eight days thereafter. Prior to […]
Intact Placenta Leads to Post-Partum Complications
Case Summary The patient (mid-20s) had a past medical history notable for asthma, depression, and a prior ectopic pregnancy. In this matter, she underwent a vaginal delivery in February 2013 for her second child. However, all of products of conception reportedly did not get discharged, although the medical records indicated that they were. The patient ended […]
Anoxic Brain Injury Sustained at Nursing Home
Case Summary The case involves a female patient with cerebral palsy who was living at an adult care facility. She was severely impaired and did not have the ability to verbally communicate. While at the facility, one of the staff found her to be not breathing. At that point, they called for the ambulance/EMTs and waited for them to […]
Bladder Perforation During Open Hysterectomy
Case Summary The patient in this case underwent an abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingectomy for refractory uterine bleeding. She had previously undergone an appropriate workup and conservative approach to her abnormal uterine bleeding. After failing all of these measures, including hormonal medications, a hysteroscopy, and dilation and curettage of the uterus, she underwent definitive surgical […]
Scorpion Venom Diagnosis and Treatment
Summary The plaintiff (3 Y/O) in this matter presented to the ER in June 2014 with elbow pain and was taken to local emergency room, but allegedly was not seen for 4-5 hours. The X-ray images revealed no injuries to the elbow and doctor reportedly said child was having a tantrum. The plaintiff’s parents noted […]
Missed Cancer Diagnosis During Appendectomy
Case Summary The patient in this case is a 37 y.o. male who presented to the hospital in June of 2013 with a perforated gangrenous appendix. An appendectomy was performed. Post-operative pathology appeared to be normal. Two months after surgery the same patient was admitted with abdominal distention. He was then diagnosed with Stage 4 […]
Delayed Diagnosis Allows Cancer to Double in Size
Case Summary The patient in this matter was initially seen by an advanced practice nurse in the office of Dr. A (a Family Practitioner) in December 2012 with various complaints, among them: coughing, shoulder pain and fatigue. A chest X-ray and CT of head and sinuses were ordered. A diagnosis of sinusitis was made and symptomatic treatment […]
Missed Diagnosis of Septic Knee
Case Summary The patient in this case was having knee pain, so she went to the local clinic for treatment. After taking X-rays, the doctor (a Family Practitioner) advised the patient that she had arthritis and subsequently gave her steroid injections in the knee. The knee pain continued to worsen, so she went back to the clinic. This […]
Labor Induction Cause of Dystocia in Newborn
Case Summary The patient had uneventful prenatal care through the doctor, with an EDD of 12/21/95 by last menstrual period, and an EDD of 12/18/95 by an ultrasound on August ’95. In December ’96, she had an office visit, though the records are unclear. Her BP was taken and her doctor said it was elevated, […]