Woman who sustained injuries from IV line sues Phila. hospital

A New Jersey woman who claims she developed complications at the site of an

intravenous line on her forearm while she was undergoing a kidney transplant at a Philadelphia hospital, an injury that required a second surgery, has filed a malpractice claim against the medical institution.

Philadelphia attorney Derek R. Layser, of the firm Layser & Freiwald, filed the civil action July 9 at the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas on behalf of Tiffany Gonzalez of Bound Brook, N.J.

The defendant named in the lawsuit is Tenet Health System, which operates St. Christopher’s Hospital For Children.

According to the complaint, two days after undergoing a kidney transplant at the hospital on June 3, 2011, Gonzalez began to experience unusual tenderness on her left forearm, which eventually developed into a lesion accompanied by a rash, increased swelling, pain and blistering.

A June 14, 2011, MRI revealed extravasation of the IV medication, a discovery that led to emergency surgery being performed on the woman that same day to relieve the pressure in her arm, the lawsuit states.

Following the surgery, Gonzalez had to undergo wound vac therapy with skin graft.

Gonzalez was not discharged from the hospital until July 15 of that year, a full month after her injuries were initially discovered.

The lawsuit states that as a result of the defendant’s negligence, Gonzalez was caused to suffer great physical pain, the need for additional medical procedures, prolonged hospitalization, a delay in recovery, scarring and other injuries.

Gonzalez was also required to undergo physical therapy, she has incurred medical expenses, she has had restrictions placed on her daily activities, and she has suffered mental anguish, embarrassment, humiliation, a loss of life’s pleasures and lost wages, the lawsuit states.

The complaint accuses the hospital of failing to properly administer intravenous medication, failing to prevent extravasation of calcium chloride, failing to prevent tissue damage, failing to consult an IV team, failing to recognize the signs and symptoms of compartment syndrome, failing to recognize the need for prompt treatment and failing to recognize the nature and severity of the plaintiff’s injury.

Gonzalez seeks compensatory damages in excess of $50,000, plus costs, pre-judgment interest and post-judgment interest.

 

The case ID number is 120700968.