Chelsea Dickerson
Dickerson Oxton attorney Chelsea Dickerson is a dedicated advocate for injury victims, focusing her practice on personal injury and mass tort litigation. As co-founder of the firm, she has helped recover millions of dollars for clients in serious injury, trucking accident, motorcycle accident, and wrongful death cases. Chelsea is known for her aggressive, evidence-driven approach and her commitment to holding insurance companies and negligent parties accountable. She also represents consumers nationwide in complex pharmaceutical and medical device litigation.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that up to 900,000 Americans are affected by thrombosis each year. The American Heart Association Journals also notes that 25% of all deaths around the world are caused by thrombosis. The failure of port catheters is responsible for a significant number of these cases, representing a notable form of negligence and product defectiveness in the medical world. Defective or poorly utilized catheters can also lead to other medical injuries, such as sepsis. Patients harmed by port catheters may wish to explore their legal options alongside port catheter attorneys in Missouri. Families mourning the loss of loved ones taken by port catheter-related medical injuries may also consider wrongful death lawsuits. Consider contacting Dickerson Oxton at (816) 542-6599 to expand upon this conversation.
What Is Thrombosis?
Thrombosis is the formation of one or more blood clots. These blood clots can manifest in arteries, veins, or chambers within the heart. Although all forms of thrombosis require treatment, some are more dangerous than others. If a patient experiences a blood clot in the brain, heart, lungs, or another vital area, the consequences can be fatal. Blood clots in the heart may lead to a heart attack, while blood clots in the brain can trigger a stroke. In fact, thrombosis is the most common cause of heart attacks and strokes. This is why thrombosis is responsible for a quarter of all deaths around the world. Patients should immediately seek medical attention as soon as they notice any signs of thrombosis. These might include sharp pains, breathing issues, weakness on one side of the body, and dizziness.
What Are Port Catheters?
The National Cancer Institute refers to port catheters as “port-a-caths.” Health care providers install this type of medical device underneath the skin, on the right side of the chest. It includes a thin, flexible tube called a catheter that doctors “thread” into the superior vena cava. This is a large vein on the right side of the heart. With this device installed, doctors can easily administer medication, fluids, and other treatments directly into the bloodstream of the patient. Doctors can also use this device to obtain blood samples. Port catheters are common for those receiving chemotherapy treatments.
When Do Port Catheters Cause Thrombosis?
The National Institutes of Health refers to catheter-related thrombosis as a “relatively common complication.” Furthermore, the NIH notes that this type of thrombosis is “likely to increase further” as port catheters become more common. Despite this growing problem, health care providers in the United States often struggle to take adequate steps to develop guidelines and standard procedures when addressing catheter-related thrombosis.
Whenever a health care provider inserts a needle or catheter into a vein, there is a risk of inflammation or irritation. This inflammation can cause blood clots to form. The presence of a needle can also trigger blood clots even if no inflammation or irritation occurs. This is because a needle is a foreign object within a vein, and blood clots are more likely to form on the surfaces of foreign objects. Sometimes, port catheter-related thrombosis is unavoidable, even when doctors place these devices with no mistakes. In other cases, thrombosis is a direct result of medical errors during placement, such as catheter tip malposition.
When Do Port Catheters Cause Sepsis?
Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening complication of infection, and port catheters can easily trigger this issue. Whenever health care providers place a foreign object into a patient, there is a risk that bacteria will infect the body and begin to spread. Sometimes, bacterial infection involves the skin of the patient. In other situations, the infection originates from the port catheter itself. This may be a result of inadequate sterilization processes, and health care providers must carefully ensure a sterile environment when placing a port catheter. Even after placement, infection can occur during subsequent infusions or transfusions via the bloodstream. Patients who believe that their sepsis may have been caused by medical errors have the option to explore these suspicions with Dickerson Oxton.
Can Port Catheters Cause Collapsed Lungs?
One of the most serious medical injuries associated with port catheters is a collapsed lung. This complication occurs when a doctor accidentally punctures the lung of the patient when attempting to place the catheter. This mistake is often associated with inadequate skill and experience on the part of the doctor, and it involves pushing the needle far too deeply. This complication may also occur in emergencies in which health care providers feel rushed. A collapsed lung (pneumothorax) can cause oxygen starvation, severe shock, and heart failure. Collapsed lungs may also lead to infections, and they can be fatal.
The Consequences of Catheter Fractures and Migration
A catheter fracture and migration is another serious complication to be aware of, and it occurs when a piece of the port catheter breaks off and enters the body. This foreign object may subsequently enter the bloodstream and travel to vital areas such as the heart or lungs. Sometimes, this issue is caused by unforeseeable and unpreventable factors. For example, the pressure from a seatbelt can potentially cause the catheter to fragment and migrate.
In other situations, the catheter may be more prone to fragmentation and migration due to its defective design or substandard materials. If it becomes clear that the fracture and migration were caused by product defects, a medical malpractice or product liability lawsuit may be possible. Some of these issues have led to class action lawsuits, as a specific brand of catheter may be more prone to fragmentation and migration due to its defective design.
Learn More About Medical Injuries With Dickerson Oxton
Port catheters may help doctors access large veins, and in an ideal world, this can ensure the delivery of vital treatments like chemotherapy. However, the consequences of port-catheter-related negligence can be life-altering. Patients do not necessarily need to sit back and accept that these mistakes are an unavoidable part of modern medicine. Doctors and other health care providers have a duty of care to install and manage these port catheters in a responsible way while adhering to standard operating procedures. Those who believe that their thrombosis, sepsis, or related injuries were caused by negligence may want to explore these suspicions with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer in Missouri. Consider expanding on this conversation by contacting Dickerson Oxton at (816) 542-6599. We serve clients in Kansas City.