$1 Million Settlement for Complications and Subsequent Death After Simple Biopsy

A 21-year-old healthy male college student entered the hospital for a simple scheduled biopsy. A CT Scan of his chest was done and he complained of having difficulty breathing when in a prone position. The CT Scan showed that a growth on the front of his chest cavity was pressing against his windpipe and practically cutting off his breathing when he laid down. The radiologist viewing the x-ray never put anything about the compromise of the windpipe in the x-ray report and the CT Scan report was never placed in the patient’s chart. When the operation started to remove the growth on the chest cavity, there was no anesthetist available and another doctor was called into the surgery who did not review the patient’s chart or CT Scan. As the operation started, the boy stopped breathing when the air tube was put into his windpipe. The tube was taken out (extubated) and put back in (intubated) continually over a 25-minute period. Finally, a cardiologist came running into the room, looked at the film, and immediately saw that the air tube was being pushed against the growth, completely blocking off the boy’s breathing. This young man remained comatose for over one month and died. Tremont Sheldon P.C. was able to settle the case for $1 million.