Cardiac Tamponade Lawsuit: $1.5 Million Settlement
2024 Medical Malpractice Case Report
By Attorney Krysia J. Syska
Worcester Superior Court, Massachusetts
Failure to recognize signs of cardiac tamponade results in death of post-op cardiac patient
Plaintiff’s decedent died at the age of 72 from cardiac tamponade. He had a history of a-fib and coronary artery disease. Two weeks prior to his death he underwent triple coronary artery bypass graft after experiencing chest pain which took him to the hospital. Postoperatively he developed atrial fibrillation and was started on Coumadin. He was discharged from the hospital on 1/25/18.
On 1/28/15, plaintiff’s decedent arrived via ambulance back to the hospital at 12:53 a.m. He complained of chest pain worsening throughout the day with nausea and weakness. He was sweating and hypotensive on arrival. EKG showed no changes from previous studies. Cardiology evaluated but felt he did not meet the STEMI criteria and recommended CT surgery evaluate. Emergent CT angiogram was performed to rule out dissection or PE. At 1:43 am the study was completed and showed no PE or dissection but did reveal a moderate sized hemopericardium partially compressing the right atrium. The defendant CT surgeon and NP were informed of the findings and were coming to see the patient at the bedside.
At 2:46 am it was noted that the defendant NP was at the bedside. The patient’s blood pressure was worsening and his shortness of breath had increased. The attending defendant was updated but there were no orders given to get the OR ready for drainage and exploration to find the source of bleeding. There was no indication the CT surgeon was on his way to the hospital to evaluate the patient.
At 3:23 am the patient became unresponsive and required chest compressions. He was intubated but by 4:22 am he was in asystole and chest compressions were initiated again. It was noted that the defendant attending was now enroute to the hospital. Upon arrival the attending reviewed the CTA results and noted tamponade was likely. At approximately 4:45 am, the patient was taken to the OR and 500 cc of dark clotted blood was evacuated from the pericardium, however, he went into ventricular fibrillation which could not be reversed. He was pronounced at 5:18 am.
The wrongful death claim was ultimately resolved for $1,500,000 while discovery was underway and prior to a trial date being assigned.
Lubin & Meyer attorneys Andrew C. Meyer and Krysia J. Syska represented the plaintiff in this medical malpractice lawsuit.
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