It is worth noting that situations similar to those described in this medical malpractice case could just as easily occur at any of the healthcare facilities in the area, such as Kaiser Permanente, UC Davis Medical Center, Mercy, Methodist, or Sutter.
(Please also note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the participants in this wrongful death lawsuit and its proceedings.)
On December 28, 2008, Mr. White continued to be severely agitated and hallucinating. He required medications such as Ativan, Haldol, and Versed to control his alcohol withdrawal symptoms. He was restrained and a sitter was assigned to sit at his bedside to prevent him from climbing out of bed and pulling at his tubing. A Foley catheter was reinserted per physician’s order as Mr. White continued to pull the condom catheter out. The Foley catheter was draining well after placement. Mr. White white blood cell count on this date was 7000, which is within normal range.
On December 29, 2008, Mr. White continued to hallucinate and tried to get out of bed. The Foley catheter on this date showed it was patent and draining clear yellow urine. Mr. White white blood cell count was 8100, within normal range. On December 30, 2008, the Foley catheter was draining clear yellow urine. The urine out put on this date was 1300 cc. Mr. White was still agitated in spite of being medicated with Ativan and Haldol. His white blood cell count was 13,200.
On December 31, 2008, the Foley catheter was draining clear yellow urine. The urine output on this date was 925 cc. On January 1, 2009, Mr. White’s temperature was noted to be 103.2. His white blood cell count was elevated above normal at 18,500. Dr. Nguyen performed an aspiration of a hematoma on Mr. White’s neck to try to decipher the source of infection. This area was ruled out as a source of the infection.
For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.
On January 2, 2009, antibiotics were ordered including Vancomycin, Zosyn, Levaquin, and Fluconazole even though there was no clear source of infection. CT scans of the neck, abdomen and pelvis were ordered in order to locate the source of infection. Mr. White was transferred back to the Intensive Care Unit with a diagnosis of sepsis of unclear etiology.
On January 2, 2009, the nurses noted that there was positive sediment at 1200 hours in the urine and a urine culture was sent. At 1600 hours, there was yellow amber urine draining from the Foley catheter with sediment and green tinged penile discharge. The nurse contacted the physician to advise of this finding. At 2300 hours, the physician collected fluid samples from Mr. White’s scrotum and blood and urine cultures were sent.
A CT scan done of the abdomen and pelvis on January 3, 2009, showed that the urinary bladder was distended with evidence of soft tissue gas in the scrotal region suggestive of infection. The CT scan also showed that the Foley catheter bulb was felt to be misplaced in the midline portion of the penis in the penile urethra. The physician suspected Mr. White had an abscess and urethral perforation. The physician placed a suprapubic catheter into Mr. White on January 3, 2009.
Arrangements were being made to take Mr. White to surgery but his condition continued to deteriorate with shortness of breath, decreasing saturation levels, and decrease in heart rate. He was resuscitated but did not survive. Mr. White died on January 3, 2009, at 0834 hours. The autopsy report noted the cause of Mr. White’s death as sepsis due to inflammation and abscess formation in the penile urethra due to misplaced Foley catheter balloon. (See Part 4 of 10.)
For more information you are welcome to contact Sacramento personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.