A Mom Loses Three Limbs Because Her Doctors Failed to Diagnose Sepsis

Magdalena Malec, a British woman, lost part of one arm and both legs and the fingers on her left hand amputated because her doctors failed to recognize and treat sepsis. Ms. Malec also required a kidney transplant after her kidney failed from the septic shock, which the medical team missed when she was admitted to the hospital with an ectopic pregnancy, according to a story in the Telegraph.

Hospital administrators apologized for what they referred to as a blunder, which they admitted could have been avoided had they caught the sepsis in time. Ms. Malec said, “Now my life is not a life, it is vegetation – a fight for life. I was waiting for six months for the amputation of my limbs, with stinking and decaying legs and arms.” She laments that she will never again paint her own fingernails, nor will she be able to put her little girls’ hair into ponytails. Ms. Malec has reportedly lost all trust in doctors after her harrowing experience.

What happened to Ms. Malec?

Ms. Malec was initially told that she had suffered a miscarriage, but she continued to bleed heavily and have stomach cramps. She returned to the hospital on Christmas Day when she was told that she was having an ectopic pregnancy. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg implants itself outside of the womb. Urgent surgery is required to remove the fetus and the fallopian tube to which it has attached itself. While she was recovering from the surgery, Ms. Male developed extensive limb ischemia (inadequate blood supply) in her limbs, which became gangrenous, causing began to die.

The Telegraph story reports that the medical staff failed to recognize her high fever when she was bleeding out as sepsis, and they failed to follow their own sepsis protocol.

This is a textbook case of delayed diagnosis and the havoc it can cause. An investigation of the incident by the hospital administrators found that her temperature was raised prior to administering the anesthetic. This would have been one of the first clues that she had sepsis, which is the immune system’s over-reaction to an infection. Sepsis is treatable but requires immediate treatment. The hospital staff admitted that they missed all the classic signs of sepsis and admitted that had they followed the sepsis protocol which was already in place, there would have likely been a completely different outcome in Ms. Malec’s case.

The Telegraph story mentions a payout for her financial hardship, and that there will be another payout, “in due course.”

How does sepsis cause limb loss?

Sepsis can cause serious, irreparable harm to the body if not caught and treated immediately. sepsis can cause the internal organs to shut down, it can cause kidney damage, limb loss and other adverse effects. Sepsis causes the blood’s clotting mechanism to overreact. These large clots travel through the bloodstream and cause backups in the blood vessels, which denies the parts of the body beyond the blocked vessels to get the blood, nutrients and oxygen it requires to stay alive. The tissues that are denied blood flow begin to die.

What are the warning signs of sepsis?

Sepsis is a result of an already existing infection. Some of the symptoms that an infection may have become septic include:

• Signs of infection (diarrhea, vomiting, sore throat)
• High fever
• Chills
• Rapid heart rate (above 90 beats per minute)
• Hyperventilation
• Low white blood cell count
• Extreme pain
• Extreme fatigue

If you see any of the above signs or symptoms it is vital that you visit an emergency room immediately to be examined by a doctor. Sepsis can progress from an infection to septic shock very quickly. If the condition can be treated before it advances to septic shock, the less likely there will be serious adverse effects.

If someone you care about has been injured because of undiagnosed or intreated sepsis, you may want to consult with a medical malpractice lawyer McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC to discuss your case and learn your legal options.

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