Last updated on October 21st, 2015 at 11:39 am
Saline drip leads to seizure
Miss L, aged 28 at the time, was taken to the accident and emergency department (A & E) of the Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham feeling quite ill: suffering from abdominal pains, vomiting and dizziness. She was connected to a saline drip. The drip was disconnected for a while and when it was reconnected the nurse noticed that the fluids were not dripping as fast as they had been previously. The nurse then connected a pressure bag to Miss L who felt the fluid tracking up her arm and a bubbling sensation immediately. She could also hear a crackling noise. She mentioned these things to her partner and mother, who accompanied her, but then suffered a seizure.
A scan showed that air had travelled into her blood stream and was present in venous system of her brain.
Miss L was violently sick after the procedure and felt unwell for the next 2 days, suffering from headaches. She was told to ensure that she was not left alone in case she suffered another seizure and not to drive until she had a further MRI scan. The repeat scan was carried out almost a month later and gave Miss L the all clear, showing that the air revealed on the previous scan had cleared. The repeat scan confirmed that there were no other complications that could have caused the seizure.
Procedure leads to medical negligence claim
Miss L felt that she had received sub-standard care from the hospital and contacted Graysons to see if she should have any redress. Sian wrote to the hospital claiming breach of duty in that it had:
- Not provided Miss L with the proper standard of care.
- Not taken proper care when reconnecting the IV fluids and attaching the pressure bag causing air to enter the IV line.
- Caused air to enter the IV line and travel to the brain, causing Miss L to suffer a seizure.
Hospital accepts liability
The hospital accepted liability for the negligence and agreed to settle Miss L’s claim for £8,000, which took into consideration her pain, suffering and loss of amenity
All healthcare professionals have a duty of care towards their patients and if they are negligent in this care it may be possible to purse a claim for medical negligence compensation. For further information, please read our web pages, or contact our experts directly for a confidential discussion about your case.
