Leg-amputation case after delayed treatment of clot following thrombectomy at Piedmont
This complaint states as follows: After undergoing a thrombectomy, the patient suffered a blood clot that cut off the blood supply to his leg. The patient was in the hospital, in an intensive care unit. The clot was easily identifiable and treatable. But even after signs of the clot became obvious, several providers failed to promptly examine, investigate, and treat the problem. This caused significant delays that ultimately led to the patient's leg having to be amputated above the knee. The Corporate Defendants failed to implement adequate policies, procedures, and practices to ensure proper supervision of resident physicians and effective patient safety systems. These systemic failures contributed to the injuries suffered by the patient, including an unnecessary leg amputation.
Overview
This page concerns a clot that allegedly became obvious and remained treatable after a thrombectomy while the patient was in an intensive care unit, but several providers did not promptly examine, investigate, or treat it before the patient’s leg had to be amputated above the knee.
Chronology
The complaint alleges as follows:
- After undergoing a thrombectomy, the patient suffered a blood clot that cut off the blood supply to his leg.
- The patient was still in the hospital, in an intensive care unit, and the clot allegedly was easily identifiable and treatable.
- Even after signs of the clot became obvious, several providers allegedly failed to promptly examine, investigate, and treat the problem.
- The resulting delays allegedly caused the patient’s leg to be amputated above the knee, with the complaint also attributing harm to inadequate supervision of resident physicians and ineffective patient-safety systems.
Alleged failures
The complaint alleges the following failures:
- Several providers allegedly failed to promptly examine, investigate, and treat an obvious and treatable clot after thrombectomy.
- The delay allegedly allowed loss of blood supply to progress until above-knee amputation became necessary.
- The corporate defendants allegedly failed to implement adequate policies, procedures, and practices to supervise resident physicians and maintain effective patient-safety systems.