Leaving a Guidewire in a Patient Following Insertion of a Chest Drain
Client
Hospital Patient
Compensation Paid
Client Confidential
Category
Medical Negligence
Our Client approached us following a failure by a hospital doctor to remove a guide wire, following insertion of a chest drain.
Our Client attended hospital having developed sepsis. The hospital undertook a chest X-Ray which showed Pneumonia. A CT scan showed our Client had a complete collapse of the left lung requiring ventilation in ITU.
As our Client was suffering from respiratory instability, a chest drain was inserted and immediately drained one litre of fluid from the lung. This drain proved to be working effectively and our Client remained in a stable condition.
Following removal of the chest drain another Xray were performed to check the condition of the lungs, this Xray showed that the guide wire the doctor had used to place the chest drain had not been removed once the chest drain was in place.
It transpired that the doctor who had inserted the chest drain was unfamiliar with the pack used.
Our Client required surgical removal of the guidewire under general anesthetic.
