The Archives of Internal Medicine reports that a simple blood test can accurately rule in or rule out heart attacks in three-quarters of patients with acute chest pain. The test looks for a byproduct of heart attacks, called troponin, that appears in the patient's blood. This test is a promising new addition to the various studies [...]
Every sports fan knows the thrill of looking forward to a new season, as media coverage heralds the opening of training camp and results from scrimmages. Along with exciting preseason news, every sports fan has also read the sickening news of a promising young athlete unexpectedly dropping dead in the prime of his or her life. Often, the culprit [...]
I find news stories like this very disconcerting. Researchers at Harvard Medical School report that tanning bed use increases the risk of malignant melanoma. The increased risk is particularly prevalent among younger sunbed users. To me, this means that there will be an increase in claims arising out of a delay in diagnosis of this dangerous skin cancer. Here's [...]
Cardiac stents can be life-saving devices when used judiciously. However, evidence is mounting that this lucrative procedure is being overused by physicians, both in Ohio and nationally. When complications arise out of use of an unnecessary stent procedure, and harm results, a potential claim for medical malpractice may exist under Ohio law. The New York [...]
A delay in diagnosis of cancer may cause a patient's prognosis to go from bad to worse. When it comes to lung cancer, this maxim holds true. Recognizing that earlier detection of lung cancer saves lives, the American Association for Thoracic Surgery published updated guidelines for screening high risk patients in order to catch evidence of [...]
I have previously blogged about communication errors leading to medical mistakes. We all are concerned about the quality of our healthcare and whether there has been a decrease in the quality of care. Too little attention to a patient's concerns leads to frustration and a problem with our system of medical care. As a patient [...]
Recently, we have seen a number of medical malpractice cases in Ohio arising out of a physician's failure to protect a patient from consequences of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea occurs when a person experiences abnormal pauses in breathing, or abnormally low breathing, during sleep. Each pause in breathing can last from a few seconds to minutes, and may [...]
Malpractice is negligence. The fact that an injury to a patient is a known and recognized complication of medical treatment does not mean that the doctor is not legally responsible for the outcome. We frequently hear from juries and focus groups that a doctor can't be held accountable when a known complication occurs because that [...]
Medical errors often arise when physicians rule out a condition because a common sign or symptom is not present. For instance, physicians can be quick to dismiss infection when there is no fever or abnormal white blood count (WBC). But those signs of infection are not always present. In fact, these signs or symptoms are frequently absent in certain patient [...]
Claims for delay in diagnosis of cancer are common in Ohio. Medical malpractice cases involving a delayed diagnosis, or a delay in treatment, of malignant melanoma require consideration of a number of factors. A recent medical study underscores the importance of proper surgical treatment upon timely diagnosis of this potentially deadly cancer. Malignant melanoma is a [...]