Infection, Sepsis, Death: Common Results If Appendicitis Is Misdiagnosed

Appendicitis is where the appendix becomes swollen and inflamed very quickly.  It can be a very painful and severe medical condition.  A person who suffers from appendicitis needs to be diagnosed in a timely manner.  If left untreated, the appendix can burst, releasing toxic substances into the body.  This can result in serious illness and even death.  In most cases medical technology has made it possible to diagnose appendicitis quickly and accurately.  However, there are times where it is not diagnosed quickly enough and this mistake can lead to serious injury and potentially end the patient’s life.

Severe medical complications can result when there is a delay in diagnosing appendicitis.  These complications can require extensive medical treatment and can possibly lead to death.  Unfortunately the symptoms of appendicitis can be mistaken for the flu or a stomach virus.  These symptoms can include:

• Abdominal swelling
• Constipation
• Fever
• Nausea
• Sharp abdominal pain

When examining patients who show symptoms of appendicitis, doctors need to be ready to make a quick and accurate diagnosis of the patient’s condition and take action immediately.  When a doctor makes an error in diagnosis the results can be severe.  Examples of doctor errors include:

• Failure to conduct a complete medical exam
• Failure to order appropriate tests
• Ignoring a symptom, or dismissing symptoms as unimportant
• Misdiagnosing the patient’s illness despite here being clear signs of appendicitis

The only treatment for appendicitis is to remove the appendix through an appendectomy.  Should the appendix burst while still in the abdominal cavity of the patient, the patient’s condition will deteriorate quickly.  Once the appendix bursts, the pain the patient has been experiencing will often subside.  However, the situation becomes more dangerous as the patient’s body systems can become exposed to dangerous infected materials.  If not treated properly, the patient could develop peritonitis, sepsis, or even die.

If you or a loved one has been injured or has died due to the failure to diagnose appendicitis, contact an experienced Kingston, New York medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible to evaluate your case

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