Major chyle leak allegedly not identified or treated at Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center
The complaint alleges that after spine surgery at Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center, the patient developed a major chyle leak that caused whitish fluid to drain through a suprapubic catheter intended to drain urine. More than 50 liters drained over 11 days while medical staff did not investigate or offer treatment. The untreated leak caused sepsis, multi-organ damage, and death.
Overview
This page concerns care at Wellstar’s Atlanta Medical Center after spine surgery, where a major chyle leak allegedly went uninvestigated and untreated while whitish fluid drained through a suprapubic catheter for 11 days before sepsis and multi-organ damage caused death.
Chronology
The complaint alleges as follows:
- The patient underwent spine surgery and then received post-operative care at Wellstar's Atlanta Medical Center.
- After surgery, a major chyle leak allegedly caused whitish fluid to drain from a suprapubic catheter intended to drain urine.
- Medical staff did not investigate or offer treatment even as liter after liter drained out over 11 days.
- More than 50 liters of whitish fluid drained from the catheter, and the leak caused sepsis and multi-organ damage that eventually caused the patient’s death.
Alleged failures
The complaint alleges the following failures:
- Medical staff allegedly failed to investigate a major chyle leak after spine surgery.
- Hospital providers allegedly failed to offer treatment while whitish fluid drained from a suprapubic catheter over an extended period.
- The prolonged failure to identify and address the leak allegedly allowed sepsis and multi-organ damage to cause death.