Hospital, contractor sued for patient bleed out
Hospital, contractor sued for patient bleed out
A Maryland hospital and one of its subcontractors are being sued for malpractice by the family of a man who say a technician mistakenly released a clamp that allowed the patient to bleed to death before anyone noticed the error. The lawsuit suggests the alleged error may have been the result of a poor patient handoff procedure after surgery.
The family of 51-year-old Bryan Harris, from Westminster, MD, claims that a contracted perfusionist at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore incorrectly removed a clamp after the man's lung transplant surgery in June 2008. Before anyone realized the error, all of Harris' blood drained into a bucket, according to the lawsuit filed recently by the family's attorney, Michael Warshaw, JD, of Baltimore.
Two perfusionists were working during the surgery, and then a third took over after the transplant procedure was complete. According to the attorney, the family was told that Harris died of natural causes, but the surgeon's report indicated that the clamp had been removed after the procedure. The hospital reported the cause of death originally as "multiple system organ failure," but the medical examiner later changed the death certificate to list the cause of death as acute blood loss.
The University of Maryland Medical Center issued a statement saying, "We have been aware of this matter since the time of the sad and unfortunate event. Since that time, we have had ongoing conversations with the Harris family and their attorneys. We are disappointed that suit has now been filed in light of our efforts toward an amiable resolution."
A Maryland hospital and one of its subcontractors are being sued for malpractice by the family of a man who say a technician mistakenly released a clamp that allowed the patient to bleed to death before anyone noticed the error.Subscribe Now for Access
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