Doctors Failure to Monitor Diabetes on Day of Surgery Results in Loss of Sight
The following excerpt from a Notice of Intent to File Claim, or more commonly called, “Notice of Intent to Sue,” is a recent case that the litigators at Erlich, Rosen, Bartnick & Cook, P.C., have begun on behalf of one of our clients. If you wish to discuss a medical malpractice claim please contact ERBC at either www.ERBClaw.com or 1-877-453-2840 for a free consultation.
Factual Basis for Claim
Prior to November 12, 2003 Plaintiff was a patient of Defendant rheumotologist. On recommendation of Defendant rheumotologist, the Plaintiff did agree to undergo arthriscopic surgery of her right shoulder for a rotator cuff injury. It was well known to all of the Defendants that Plaintiff was an insulin dependent diabetic who needed insulin to attempt to control her diabetes which was known to be difficult. Defendant rheumotologist himself scheduled and confirmed with the Plaintiff that her surgery would be on the morning of November 12, 2003 and was scheduled as an outpatient procedure. When she arrived that morning, it was learned by the Plaintiff that for some unknown reason she was not on the surgery schedule. Representatives of the hospital contacted Defendant rheumotologist and he indicated that he would still do the procedure later that day. Prior to the arthriscopic shoulder surgery which was performed at approximately 6:00 p.m. on that same day, no one ordered, adjusted, nor drew blood to determine blood glucose levels, (blood sugar levels), or made any attempt to determine glucose levels prior to the operative procedure.
Before the operative procedure the Plaintiff was evaluated by the operating room nurses as well as the anesthesiologist and CRNA. None of these individuals again ordered, nor drew, nor attempted to find out, the Plaintiff’s blood sugar levels prior to surgery. Further, no other blood work was ordered or drawn to determine the level of the Plaintiff’s other electrolytes and the possibility of dehydration despite the fact she had been in the hospital for twelve hours waiting for her surgery. Following the 6:00 P.M. operative procedure it was determined that Plaintiff had gone into diabetic ketoacidosis and had suffered a loss of vision in her right eye. She was put in the intensive care unit and consultations were then obtained. It was ultimately determined that the Plaintiff’s loss of vision was secondary to a stroke to her optic nerve caused by the diabetic ketoacidosis which was caused by her runaway blood sugars and failure to monitor her diabetic condition prior to her undergoing the trauma of surgery.
That if the breaches of the standard of practice would not have occurred by each of the Defendants the Plaintiff would not have gone into diabetic ketoacidosis and would not have required a prolonged hospitalization secondary to that condition. Furthermore, if the Plaintiff had not gone into the operative procedure with elevated glucose levels and its consequences, she would not have developed a clot or damage to her optic nerve. Accordingly, as a direct result of the breaches of the standard of practice by each of the Defendants the Plaintiff suffered prolonged hospitalization, diabetic ketoacidosis, and loss of vision to her right eye which is permanent in nature.
