Childers, Schlueter & Smith: Patient Dies After Routine Outpatient Knee Surgery
Lawsuit claims patient with sleep apnea was administered doses of Dilaudid and Percocet after surgery and was discharged without being properly monitored.
ATLANTA, May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- William A. Parker, Jr., of Childers, Schlueter & Smith, LLC, has filed a wrongful death medical malpractice case on behalf of the surviving spouse of a patient who suffered cardio respiratory arrest on the way home from routine outpatient knee surgery, and died two days later due to an anoxic brain injury.
In April of 2010, Emmett Lee Turbyfield, Sr. underwent left knee arthroscopic surgery at the Northwest Georgia Orthopaedic Surgery Center in Marietta, Georgia; an outpatient surgical center. The attending anesthesiologist, Gennifer Nichelle Wiley, M.D., was fully aware that Turbyfield had obstructive sleep apnea and was at high risk for post-operative respiratory depression. After a successful surgery with no complications, Turbyfield was admitted to the post anesthesia recovery unit (PACU).
On admission to the PACU at 10:41 a.m., Dr. Wiley pre-authorized Turbyfield's release. Despite the fact that Turbyfield had no pain on admission, the PACU nurse, Lisa Jarvis, R.N., administered 1 mg. of Dilaudid IV to Turbyfield at 10:50 a.m. At 10:55 a.m., Jarvis administered another 1 mg. of Dilaudid IV to Turbyfield and also gave him 2 tablets of Percocet. Dr. Wiley did not assess or set any parameters, including indication and frequency, for the administration of narcotics to Turbyfield in the PACU. None of Turbyfield's vital signs were charted in the medical record after 10:55 a.m. At 11:10 a.m., Jarvis assisted Turbyfield with getting dressed and he was discharged to the care of his wife at 11:20 a.m., before the peak onset of the narcotics had taken effect. Dr. Wiley never checked or assessed Turbyfield's vital signs or medical condition after he was administered the Dilaudid and Percocet and did not evaluate him prior to his discharge. According to the records, Turbyfield spent only 30 minutes in the PACU after being administered Dilaudid and Percocet. At 12:15 p.m., on their way home, Turbyfield suffered cardio respiratory arrest and died two days later.
Both Dilaudid and Percocet are very strong opioid analgesics used to treat moderate to severe pain and can cause or enhance respiratory depression especially in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. The American Society of Anesthesiologists' Practice Guidelines indicate that patients with obstructive sleep apnea should be continuously monitored and observed for a minimum of 3 hours and should not be discharged until they are no longer at risk for post-operative respiratory depression.
The Defendants named in the lawsuit are Gennifer Nichelle Wiley, M.D.; her employer, Ambulatory Anesthesia of Atlanta, LLC; Lisa Jarvis, R.N.; and Northwest Georgia Orthopaedic Surgery Center, LLC. All Defendants have denied responsibility for the death of Emmett Lee Turbyfield, Sr.
For more information on William A. Parker, Jr. visit: www.cssfirm.com
Re: |
Bonnie Turbyfield, et al. v. Gennifer Nichelle Wiley, MD, et al |
|
State Court of Fulton County |
||
State of Georgia |
||
Civil Action No.: 11EV012139F |
||
SOURCE Childers, Schlueter & Smith, LLC
Share this article