Airway and respiratory failure case at Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center after car crash trauma
The complaint alleges that a patient was taken to Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center with severe chest trauma after a car accident, and that the emergency physician did not promptly intubate him or otherwise secure his airway. The trauma team also did not emergently intubate or perform a surgical airway after respiratory arrest, and nurses did not closely monitor vital signs. Oxygen deprivation from delayed airway management caused the patient’s death.
Overview
This page concerns trauma care at Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center in which severe chest trauma allegedly required prompt airway protection, but neither the emergency physician nor the trauma team secured the airway in time, and nursing staff allegedly failed to closely monitor the patient’s respiratory decline.
Chronology
The complaint alleges as follows:
- The patient was involved in a car accident and taken to Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center with severe chest trauma.
- Dr. Richisa Salazar allegedly failed to recognize the severity of his condition and did not promptly intubate him or take other measures to secure his airway.
- When the patient went into respiratory arrest, the trauma team allegedly failed to emergently intubate him or perform a surgical airway procedure.
- Nurses failed to closely monitor his vital signs, and oxygen deprivation from delayed airway management caused the patient’s death.
Alleged failures
The complaint alleges the following failures:
- Dr. Richisa Salazar allegedly failed to recognize the severity of the patient’s chest-trauma condition and failed to secure his airway promptly.
- The trauma team allegedly failed to emergently intubate him or perform a surgical airway once respiratory arrest occurred.
- Nursing staff allegedly failed to closely monitor vital signs during the patient’s respiratory decline.