IV Medical Malpractice Is Serious And Very Dangerous

Most people do not like the idea of receiving an IV. This can be a rather large gauge needle which sits in a person’s arm for a long period of time. The pain is not usually very bad, but it is just the idea of the needle sitting inside of a person’s arm which causes the issue. But when an IV is administered, there is usually a good reason why the patient is receiving one. Usually a patient is in rough shape, undergoing surgery, or is under careful attention and care which requires prolonged or specialized treatment. An IV can really help a patient overcome any hurdles and assist with the treatment.

However, when there are errors in giving the IV, there can be very serious and permanent damage to a patient. One of the most common IV injuries is a nerve injury. This is caused when a healthcare provider inserts the IV in the wrong place, too deep, or in a risky area. This could also occur when a healthcare provider slips or a patient jumps when an IV is inserted.

One of the most dangerous risks of IVs is an air embolism. This is where air bubbles enter the bloodstream through the IV and block blood flow to certain parts of the body. This is particularly dangerous when the blood flow is blocked from the heart, lungs, or brain. Air bubbles enter a patient through the IV line when he healthcare provider fails to squeeze out the air of the line before administering it, or when the healthcare provider fails to properly change a new IV bag or notice air in the line after changing an IV bag. Without a doubt, air bubbles in an IV line which cause an air embolism is very serious medical malpractice and can kill patients.

Another type of medical malpractice caused by IV line errors are when caustic and very powerful drugs, like chemotherapy, are pumped through an IV line but the IV line is not properly inserted into a vein. This means the drug is pumping directly into a patient’s arm and in their surrounding flesh, which can cause serious damage if the drug is very powerful.

As with any type of invasive procedure, an IV line insertion can also cause a serious infection. A hospital acquired infection can also cause very serious and permanent damage to a patient. These types of infections can also be incredibly difficult to treat and incredibly resistant to drugs.

But what do you think? I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment or I also welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com. You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.