Clexane - Subarachnoid Haemorrhage- Aneurysm

[Hollyh1961]

Need you advice on the potential case.

82 year old in very good health, only on low dosage cholestoral lowering drug.

Undergoes two hip replacements one month apart. Given Clexane post operations. Rehab progressing very well.

3 days after 2nd operation patient trips in hospital room and hits her head. Patient claims she was knock out. Medical records mention the fall and hitting her head.

Hospital conducts an investigation into possible damage to hips - all okay - but does not investigate the head injury. Patient complains of nausea and slight blurred vision in one eye in the following days. Patient discharged after 8 days but still complaing about nausea and blurred vision. Patient dies 6 days after returning home from subarachnoid haemorrhage, ie, about 14 days after her fall.

Due to the Clexane medication and known side affects, is it common protocol that the hospital should have investigated possible aneurysm caused by the head knock and Clexane? Possible that an MRI or CT Scan could have shown a aneurysm and it could have then been reduced?

 

[ShyCat]

U.S. law only.

 

[Hollyh1961]

U.S. law only.

Noted but what is the medical opinion?

 

[TheGeekess]

Noted but what is the medical opinion?

We're not physicians.

 

[Hollyh1961]

We're not physicians.

Fair enough.

Would you pursue such a case if it were in the U.S.? I don't think Australian law would be that different?

 

[CSO286]

Fair enough.

Would you pursue such a case if it were in the U.S.? I don't think Australian law would be that different?

We only deal with US law (and some Canadian employment issues, but only because we happen to have a senior member who is knowlegeable in that arena.)

The laws differ greatly even between states in the US, we could not even begin to sort the differences internationally.

Perhaps you should speak with an attorney who is local to you for an opinion.

 

[ecmst12]

The law and the standard of care are both quite different.

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

A call on the surface would be that the patient was not exhibiting signs that would indicate post injury accident. Many old people have slightly blurred vision and nausea. That could have been why they fell. I suffer from slightly blurred vision and nausea among the laundry list. If we take the patient out of the hospital, the patient had 6 more days to determine they were out of sorts and needed medical care as well as convey that to loved ones. Further, there is no evidence additional injuries did not occur over the 6 days. I'm sorry for your loss. My 2 month old died under a similar time table many years ago.

 

[Mass_Shyster]

Fair enough.

Would you pursue such a case if it were in the U.S.? I don't think Australian law would be that different?

If Australian law is similar to Massachusetts law, you would likely have a problem with Charitable Immunity, since most Massachusetts hospitals are registered as 501(c)(3) charities.

 

[TheGeekess]

If Australian law is similar to Massachusetts law, you would likely have a problem with Charitable Immunity, since most Massachusetts hospitals are registered as 501(c)(3) charities.

How else to get credit for all unpaid care they must do?

 

[ecmst12]

In the US, most likely the patient would have been given a CT scan after the fall. If there was an aneurysm, then the fall is not to blame. But most likely the bleed was caused by the fall (trauma) and was just small enough that it took a long time to cause the death. There would also be a question of whether the hospital was negligent in allowing the fall to happen in the first place, fall precautions are HUGE in hospitals here. But that's here.

 

[Hollyh1961]

Thanks to everyone who responded. I will seek some local advice and see whether it is worth pursuing further.

 

[betachains]

You prob. should get the records reviewed by experts, but I doubt that there will many Medmal lawyers willing to take on the case.

Subarachnoid bleeds /aneurysms are not typically resultant from falls or other trauma. Perhaps she tripped *because* she bled.

In the US she would have gotten a CT scan. Would intervening make any difference? I don't know. At 82, no matter how healthy she may seem, there is little physiological reserve.