Determining When a Death from an Aortic Dissection Could be Due to Oregon Medical Malpractice
Aortic dissection is a serious and true medical emergency. According to UChicagoMedicine the mortality rate of a person with an aortic dissection is 40% with approximately an additional 3% to 4% for every hour after onset that it is not treated. While there are instances in which a patient with aortic dissection may die at the fault of no physician or other healthcare provider, unfortunately patients die every day as the result of a medical provider’s error. A death from an aortic dissection is therefore common, especially with Oregon medical malpractice.
Aortic Dissection Explained
According to Cleveland Clinic, an aortic dissection occurs when there is a tear in the inn layer of the aorta. This causes the aorta to bleed into itself through the middle layer, causing an extended tear and separation of the layers of the aorta.
There are two types of aortic dissection according to NYULagone. These types include the following:
Type A Aortic Dissection – This occurs when the dissection happens in the ascending aorta. This type of tear may extend down toward the abdomen. This type of aortic dissection is more dangerous than type b because it is more likely to cause the aorta to rupture.
Type B Aortic Dissection – This type of aortic dissection starts in the descending aorta, which then extends from the arch of the ascending aorta in the chest to the abdominal aorta. This type of dissection is usually treated with medications and monitoring
The types of aortic dissection are then further classified as acute verses chronic aortic dissection. Most commonly aortic dissections are acute, but occasionally a patient may have minimal symptoms when the tear first occurs, and may go unnoticed until the tear begins to cause other problems.
What Causes This Type of Injury?
The most common causes and risk factors of aortic dissection include the following:
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure
- Aortic valve defects (i.e. bicuspid aortic valve
- Turner’s syndrome
- Atherosclerosis
- Marfan syndrome
- Traumatic chest injury
- Aortic coarctation
- Loeys-Dietz syndrome
- Giant cell arteritis
- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
- Syphillis
- Males 60s-80s most at risk
- Pregnancy
- Cocaine use
- High intensity weight lifting
- Pre-existing aortic aneurysm
What are the Complications?
Complications include the following:
- Death from an aortic dissection – death is classified as wrongful death if the provider fails to diagnose or treat appropriately in a timely manner
- Aortic regurgitation – damage of the aortic valve
- Organ damage
- Brain damage
- Paralysis
- Cardiac tamponade – compression of the heart due to the rupture into the lining around the heart from the dissection
Aortic Dissection Complications Caused by Medical Malpractice
- Failing to assess the patient properly
- Failing to properly triage the patient
- Failing to treat the aortic dissection properly
- Misdiagnosing an aortic dissection as something benign or less serious
- Failing to diagnose and treat the patient in a timely manner
- Failing to perform a surgical procedure to repair the aortic dissection correctly
- Failing to diagnose an existing aneurysm, leading to an aortic dissection
- Failing to refer patient to the emergency room or specialist of evaluation
- Failing to perform proper tests for diagnosis
Ask our Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers for Help
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form. We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.
Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles, St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.
We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.
