Negligent Administration
$440,000 RECOVERY Medical Malpractice – Negligent administration of excessive IV epinephrine when patient suffers anaphylactic reaction to contrast material during pre-op x-ray – Cardiac arrest – Defendant contends cardiac injury resolves after 5-day hospitalization – Plaintiff contends need for daily Coreg for remainder of her life constitutes permanent injury – PTSD – Initial diagnostic testing performed in preparation for rectocele repair surgery – Need to delay surgery for 10 months Richmond County, NY This was a medical malpractice action involving a plaintiff who had an x-ray study that used contrast material done by the defendant radiologist as part of the pre-op workup before planned surgery to repair a rectocele. The plaintiff contended that when she had an apparent anaphylactic reaction to the contrast material, the defendant radiologist negligently responded by administering 10 times the proper dosage of epinephrine and negligently administered it IV instead of IM. The plaintiff contended that she suffered an immediate cardiac arrest, that her ejection fraction declined to 35% and that she had abnormal cardiac enzymes. The plaintiff was hospitalized for five days. The ejection fraction and cardiac enzymes returned to normal by the end of this period and the defendant contended that the cardiac injury resolved. The plaintiff maintained that she is required to take Coreg for the remainder of her life, which would not otherwise be the case. The plaintiff also contended that the surgery to repair the rectocele had to be delayed for some 10 months and that the bowel and bladder difficulties continued during this period. The case settled prior to trial for $440,000. REFERENCE Plaintiff patient experiencing allergic reaction to contrast material vs. Defendant radiologist., 11-00-12. Attorney for plaintiff : Victoria Wickman of Law Offices of Victoria Wickman in New York.