Settlement obtained after dosing error led to arterial bleed

Amanda Cavanagh, a medical negligence specialist at Ashtons Legal, has obtained a settlement and an acknowledgment of error for the family of a woman who suffered an arterial bleed after she was given the wrong dosage of medication.

Ms R attended A&E as she was experiencing severe pain in her knee following a total knee replacement. She was reviewed by the orthopaedic team and was admitted under the medics with a possible deep vein thrombosis.

Ms R was prescribed 40,000 units of Tinzaparin, a blood thinning medication, in error. The correct dose should have been 20,000 units.

Ms R began to bleed profusely from the knee and a pressure bandage was immediately applied by the Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon. She was then given medication to reverse the effects of the Tinzaparin.

However a second bleed occurred which was not noticed until Ms R became unresponsive. She was resuscitated and once conscious became very distressed. Ms R required blood transfusions and was taken to theatre for an emergency evacuation of haematoma.

Sadly, Ms R later died of an illness that was not connected to this incident. Her family contacted Ashtons Legal and brought this claim on her behalf.

Amanda comments: “I am personally pleased that my client was able to see this through to the end. It was not about the money for him but rather he just knew how important it was to his wife that the error was acknowledged. I hope that this settlement gives him some comfort that he has carried out her wishes.”