Piedmont Augusta complaint alleges delayed response to post-thyroidectomy neck hematoma
The complaint alleges that after a thyroidectomy at Piedmont Augusta Hospital, the patient developed post-operative neck bleeding and airway compression from a hematoma. Neck hematoma is a known thyroidectomy complication requiring immediate response at the first sign of neck bleeding or difficulty breathing, and Piedmont Augusta had not properly trained or instructed staff for that emergency. The delayed response led to suffocation, profound brain injury, weeks of hospitalization, and death.
Overview
This page concerns a thyroidectomy case at Piedmont Augusta Hospital in which a known risk of post-operative neck bleeding allegedly was not met with the immediate response required when a hematoma can compress the windpipe and suffocate the patient within minutes.
Chronology
The complaint alleges as follows:
- The patient underwent a thyroidectomy at Piedmont Augusta Hospital.
- The complaint describes bleeding in the neck, hematoma formation, and windpipe compression as a known thyroidectomy complication.
- Piedmont Augusta had not properly trained and instructed staff to respond immediately at the first sign of neck bleeding or difficulty breathing.
- The patient suffocated after surgery, suffered profound brain injury, lingered in the hospital for weeks, and then died.
Alleged failures
The complaint alleges the following failures:
- Piedmont Augusta allegedly failed to make sure staff were properly trained and instructed to respond immediately to post-thyroidectomy neck bleeding.
- Hospital staff allegedly failed to respond immediately at the first sign of difficulty breathing from a neck hematoma.
- The hospital’s failure to prepare for and respond to a known airway emergency allegedly led to suffocation, brain injury, and death.