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A cast or splint that is too tight or improperly monitored can cut off circulation to an affected limb. If it goes unattended, it can cause tissue death, nerve damage, or even amputation. As such, medical providers hold a high responsibility to making sure that each cast they fit is proper while also monitoring their patients for any signs of compromised circulation. They must act accordingly if any warning signs appear.
Otherwise, serious complications may develop in hours or even days. Failure to address improper casting or correcting tight casts can lead to medical malpractice claims being filed against the providers or even the medical facility itself. If you were a patient or the loved one of someone who may have undergone a tight cast that caused amputation or dealt with cast complications like ischemia, an experienced medical malpractice lawyer could assist you.
Casts and splints are used for stable fractures, ligament injuries, and surgical repairs. Their chief purpose is to make sure the injured area is immobilized to ensure proper healing for both bones and tissue. One thing for medical providers to remember is that casts must provide enough room to ensure that normal swelling will occur after an injury. If swelling increases and the cast does not provide ample room, the pressure inside the affected limb can rise.
This can create a situation that compresses the blood vessels that supply the limb, the nerves responsible for sensation and movement and soft tissue of the muscles and skin. When the blood flow becomes restricted, the affected tissue can develop ischemia, a condition where it doesn’t receive the proper amount of oxygen for survival.
If the problem is not addressed quickly, tissue death occurs. This can lead to worse case results such as permanent damage or even limb loss.
A patient arrives in the emergency room. They appear to have broken their arm after a fall from a ladder at home. The medical staff on duty fits a cast or splint on the patient to stabilize the affected limb. Things seem to go without a hitch and the patient is discharged.
About two days later, the patient experiences increased swelling. They also feel an amount of tightness that seems a bit “out of the ordinary”. At times, they also experience some tingling and numbness. Their fingers become cold and pale as well.
What they’re experiencing at this point are warning signs of compromised circulation. The patient contacts the medical provider to report these symptoms. Their response was that swelling and discomfort are normal after their injury. This leads the patient to believe that there is nothing to worry about.
Yet, time passes and the pressure in the cast continues to build. As this happens, blood flow is becoming more restricted and tissues are beginning to suffer from a lack of oxygen. Finally, the cast is removed during a re-evaluation and severe tissue damage or muscle death is discovered. A doctor performing this re-evaluation states that the injury is too advanced to repair, determining amputation as the result to prevent life-threatening complications.
What happened here? The medical professionals on duty reassured the patient that the symptoms they experienced were normal. In reality, they were symptoms of cast pressure building up leading to circulation being compromised. The issue never gets addressed, leading to devastating consequences that could have been prevented.
This leads the patient to consult with a medical malpractice attorney who can help them build a case against the medical providers that could have provided a proper standard of care for the patient. Yet, the improper reassurance that the symptoms were normal is an example of that standard of care not being met.
It’s true that swelling is a natural part of the body responding to injury. This is also the case after a fracture, sprain, or surgical procedure. The surrounding tissues can even swell significantly. For this reason, a cast or a splint should have enough space to accommodate any potential swelling.
If a cast is applied too tight or if the swelling increases after placement, the rigid material becomes tourniquet-like around the affected limb. This can lead to increased pressure that compresses the arteries and veins that causes circulation disruption. When circulation is compromised, it can lead to the following problems:
All of these complications can be linked to what is known as cast complications ischemia. Nonetheless, the issues mentioned above need to be addressed by medical personnel as soon as possible if the patient reports related symptoms.
A patient who experienced a catastrophic result like amputation due to a tight cast cutting off circulation should consult with a medical malpractice lawyer. From there, negligence may need to be determined to ensure a claim can be filed on the patient’s behalf. An experienced lawyer who specializes in medical malpractice cases can look for the following specifics:
Nonetheless, it is important for precautions to be taken if symptoms are present and the patient reports them. A medical malpractice attorney will also need additional information such as medical records, documentation of a timeline from the initial diagnosis to any follow ups, reports of symptoms, and records of the amputation procedure. A medical malpractice case can be settled or go to a court room depending on if the terms of a settlement are satisfactory between the involved parties.
Improper casting or tight cast symptoms causes circulation to be compromised. That is why the issue needs to be addressed the moment a patient reports possible symptoms. Medical professionals need to address the issue properly to ensure a safe and successful recovery for their patients. If you or a loved one suffered from serious medical conditions leading to permanent damage or limb loss due to a tight cast, please consult with a medical malpractice lawyer in your local area as soon as possible.
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