What Happened
Our firm successfully resolved a wrongful death and medical malpractice case involving the failure to diagnose a life-threatening esophageal perforation after cervical spine surgery. Following an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF), our client developed severe difficulty swallowing, choking, coughing, hoarseness, and an inability to eat or drink—classic warning signs of an esophageal injury.
Although physicians suspected an esophageal perforation and ordered swallow studies to rule it out, the tests were never successfully completed, and no additional imaging was performed before our client was discharged to a rehabilitation facility.
Her condition rapidly worsened. She later returned to the hospital where imaging finally revealed a large esophageal tear and severe infection. Despite multiple surgeries, intensive care treatment, ventilator support, and prolonged hospitalization, she developed sepsis and died from complications of the untreated perforation.
Practice Areas Involved
This result arose from the kind of care reviewed on these pages. If something similar happened in your family, they explain what the records are read for.