New Jersey residents may take interest in a case in which a jury has awarded an injured child $1.1 million after he suffered a brain injury caused during surgery for sleep apnea. According to those involved in this medical malpractice case, the boy suffers from lingering effects from the surgery that will cause delay in development that could continue well into adulthood.
The boy was only 11 months old in 2007 when the surgery took place. He had been tested for sleep apnea and was found that the condition was causing around 50 episodes of low oxygen levels each hour.
The surgery was performed to remove the boy’s adenoids and tonsils and to place ear tubes in his ears. The boy was considered to be at a higher risk for complications and lower oxygen levels and was in a recovery room for five hours post-surgery due to these complications. The lawsuit complains that the boy was then inappropriately transferred to a regular hospital room instead of intensive care, and that the doctor failed to order his blood oxygen levels to be monitored by an appropriate medical device.
The young boy was later found with no traceable pulse and not breathing. He was resuscitated, but the damage had already been done. According to reports, this event caused a brain injury which was diagnosed through an MRI examination. The family claims that, had the proper devices been used to monitor the boy’s blood oxygen levels throughout the night, the episode would never have occurred.
Clearly, no parent wants to find themselves facing such a devastating situation. Unfortunately, medical negligence does occur in hospitals in New Jersey and throughout the United States. Sadly, many of these cases lead to severe injuries or even fatalities. This young boy may suffer from developmental delays for the remainder of his life. No matter how you look at it, medical negligence is a very real problem that affects the life of the victim as well as family members and loved ones.
Source: Penn Live, “Harrisburg-area child awarded $1.1 million in medical malpractice lawsuit,” David Wenner, June 20, 2012
