Failure To Timely And Properly Treat – Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury
Lawsuit Against Northwestern Memorial Healthcare And Centegra Hospital | October 9th, 2018 – Cook County Illinois
On October 9, 2018, WVFK&N attorneys Keith Forman and Myles Poster filed a medical malpractice claim on behalf of a minor who suffered a hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.
According to the complaint, the child’s mother presented to Northern Illinois Medical Center in July of 2011 with spontaneous rupture of membranes. The child’s mother was admitted to the labor and delivery department and was hooked to a fetal heart rate monitor. Although initial fetal heart rate tracings were reassuring, the child’s fetal heart rate tracings eventually developed concerning signs, including variable decelerations that eventually developed into terminal fetal bradycardia, that were not acted upon promptly. The fetal heart rate tracings continued to deteriorate for over an hour. Eventually the child was delivered via an emergency Cesarean section delivery due to fetal bradycardia. Initial arterial cord gas revealed a pH of 7.29 and base excess of -5. Initial venous cord gas pH was 7.18 with a base excess of -11. The child’s first arterial blood gas sample showed metabolic acidosis with a pH of 7.10 and a base excess of -18. At the time of delivery, the child was described as being “gray/blue” in color, without respiratory effort, and hypotonic. Given his depressed state at the time of birth, the child required significant neonatal resuscitation including immediate intubation, chest compressions, and total body cooling protocol.
The lawsuit alleges the defendants failed to properly and timely respond to the child’s condition and failed to timely and properly treat the child’s deteriorating clinical status. As a result, the child is developmentally delayed and suffers from cerebral palsy. As a direct and proximate consequence of the negligent care and treatment rendered by the Defendants, the child was not timely and safely delivered and was caused to suffer severe brain injury, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, developmental delays, cognitive deficits, and cerebral palsy, among other permanent and catastrophic injuries and damages.
The action is pending in the Circuit Court for Cook County, Illinois.
