Articles Posted in Cardiac Arrest

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Jason Berkoben, 48, went to the FasterCare Kittanning Urgent Care, complaining of shortness of breath. A doctor there noted that Berkoben was obese, wheezing and unable to speak in complete sentences.

The examining doctor ordered a chest x-ray and later diagnosed Berkoben as having COPD and emphysema.

Berkoben was discharged following instructions to see his primary care physician. Unfortunately, less than two hours later, he suffered a fatal cardiac arrest. He was survived by his father.
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Idalia Corcoles, 39, underwent liposuction of her back, abdomen and flanks; the surgery was performed by plastic surgeon Dr. Ayoub Sayeg at the 63rd Medical & Surgical Center in Chicago, Ill.

A few hours after the procedures, she was rushed to a nearby hospital from the 63rd Medical & Surgical Center recovery room where a blue code was activated. Extensive blood in her abdomen was revealed after a test, which necessitated massive blood transfusions and surgery. Corcoles died the next day. She was survived by her husband and four children, ages 10 to 22.

Corcoles’ estate sued the surgical center, Dr. Sayeg and others, claiming failure to perform an adequate medical history, recognize and treat hypertension and bleeding, and timely transfer Corcoles to a hospital.
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The family of a man who died of a heart attack while hospitalized after an appendectomy was held not to have a viable medical malpractice case against the attending physician.

In July 2017, Timothy Dobine, 43, died while under the care of medical staff at West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, Ill. Dobine’s family sued in state and federal court.

The family sued the U.S. government under the Federal Torts Claim Act alleging that the attending physician, Dr. Morgan Madison, who worked for a federally qualified healthcare center, provided negligent medical care and was the proximate cause of Dobine’s untimely death.
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Doe went to a medical clinic complaining of increased fatigue, weakness and shortness of breath. A resident physician allegedly obtained an electrocardiogram (EKG), which was abnormal, and ordered a routine cardiology referral. The resident’s supervising physician allegedly did not see or evaluate Doe.

Four months later, Doe collapsed at home from suspected cardiac arrest. Emergency resuscitation was unsuccessful.

The lawsuit filed on behalf of Doe and family alleged that the resident and attending physician chose not to recognize that the EKG findings were consistent with a third-degree heart block, in which the upper chambers of the heart loses communications with the lower chambers. This condition necessitated an urgent referral to a cardiologist for placement of a pacemaker, the plaintiff maintained.
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Mr. Doe., 66, presented to a hospital emergency room shortly before midnight, complaining of chest pain. He underwent an EKG and testing of his troponin levels; both tests allegedly were “nonspecific.” After Doe began belching excessively, treating physicians and medical providers allegedly administered a gastrointestinal cocktail.

Doe fell asleep and was later discharged and sent home. The next evening, Doe returned to the emergency room, complaining of continued chest pain.

He was transferred to another facility where testing revealed a 100% occlusion, blockage in his coronary artery. Doe also was treated for shock, stroke, acute kidney injury and respiratory failure among other things.
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During an endoscopy procedure at a surgery center, Nicholas Merlo’s oxygen saturation declined. A surgery center employee called 911. Emergency medical crews from American Ambulance arrived. Merlo was intubated and transported to the nearest hospital.

Enroute to the hospital, paramedics in the ambulance allegedly noted that Merlo had no breath sounds on one side and that his oxygen levels had dropped. Multiple attempts to reintubate Merlo in the back of the ambulance were unsuccessful.

When Merlo did arrive at the hospital, he suffered cardiac arrest. That lack of oxygen resulted in hypoxic brain damage. Merlo, 39, is now in a permanent vegetative state.
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Mr. Doe, in his mid-60s, was diagnosed as having severe aortic stenosis. He consulted with Dr. Roe, a cardiologist who recommended coronary angiography, ventriculography and an aortography.

While Mr. Doe was undergoing these procedures, a catheter became untangled and lodged in his heart muscle. Dr. Roe continued to inject dye through the entangled catheter, which then led to an “explosion” that ruptured Mr. Doe’s heart.

Mr. Doe suffered cardiac arrest, cardiac tamponade and shock. He died the next day. He was survived by his wife, children and grandchildren.
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David Detweiler, 73, was suffering from chronic atrial fibrillation, a condition where a patient has an irregular heartbeat or a heartbeat that is faster than an acceptable rate. He also had other cardiac issues. He was a long-time patient of cardiologist Dr. Mitchell Greenspan.

Dr. Greenspan cleared Detweiler to undergo an aortobifemoral bypass to treat his aortoiliac occlusive disease. An aortobifemoral bypass is surgery to redirect blood around narrowed or blocked blood vessels in the abdomen or groin areas. The surgery is performed to increase blood flow to the legs.

A vascular surgeon did the procedure without complications. Detweiler was transferred to the hospital’s ICU in stable condition following the surgery.
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Mr. Doe, 56, had a history of hypertension and dyslipidemia. He experienced shortness of breath over a three-month period and consulted Dr. Roe’s physician assistant. The physician assistant, who was a named defendant in this case, performed an examination reported as normal. Mr. Doe then underwent an in-office EKG, which showed a normal sinus rhythm.

Mr. Doe was scheduled for a stress test and a follow-up visit approximately one month later. However, before these appointments took place, Mr. Doe suffered a fatal cardiac arrest.

Mr. Doe had worked as a part-time security guard and was survived by his wife and two adult daughters.
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Madaline Pitkin, 26, was booked into the Washington County jail after being arrested for unlawful possession of heroin. For the next week, Pitkin, while alone in her jail cell, suffered from opioid withdrawal resulting in vomiting, diarrhea, and limited eating and drinking.

The jail staff came to her cell but did not respond to her four requests for medical care. She was not transferred to a hospital as she requested. Pitkin later died of a cardiac event in her jail cell. She is survived by her parent and sibling.

Pitkin’s estate filed a lawsuit against Corizon Health Inc., the county, and several healthcare staff members, claiming they chose not to diagnose and treat dehydration. The Pitkin family argued that she required transfer to a hospital and intravenous saline treatment in light of her symptoms.
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