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New Cases of Veterans Getting Wrong Cancer Treatment

Jamie Sheller — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:43:38 GMT

In 2008, the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania shut down a prostate cancer treatment program that had been running since 2002. The program was shut down after it was discovered that over 90 veterans, out of 114, had been given incorrect dosages of radiation to treat their prostate cancer. Recently, six more cases of botched cancer treatment have been found at the VA hospital in Philadelphia. At issue is a cancer treatment called brachytherapy, which involves implanting radioactive metal seeds. These seeds will kill cancer cells. Most of the veterans who received the incorrect treatment were given less than the prescribed dose. Other veterans received overdoses of radiation, which affected nearby tissue and organs. The Department of Veterans Affairs has forwarded information about the six new cases to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

If you received incorrect radiation treatment for prostate cancer at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Philadelphia, contact Sheller, P.C. to discuss your potential legal rights. We are currently handling cases of veterans who received this botched medical treatment. The Sheller firm has a long history of aggressively fighting for the rights of individuals and classes of individuals who have been injured by improper medical treatment, as well as parmaceuticals, medical devices and other defective products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Hospitalized Children At Risk for Drug Errors

Jamie Sheller — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:31:37 GMT

It is difficult for anyone whose loved one is hurt by a medical-related error while in the hospital. However, it is especially difficult for a parent to have their child suffer from such an error. A recent study has shown that pediatric patients have a greater than 1 in 10 chance of suffering an adverse drug event. The study was published in the medical journal Pediatrics, and is titled, Development, Testing and Findings of a Pediatric-Focused Trigger Tool to Identify Medication-Related Harm in U.S. Children's Hospitals. Prior data had shown a 2.3 percent risk of such events. However, that information was based on voluntary reports, while the recent study relied on a specific methodology used to review randomly selected medical charts. Analgesics and opiods were involved in the largest percentage of adverse events. The vast majority of the drug errors caused mild harm, such as itching and nausea. However, even such mild reactions should be avoided when a child is already sick. The study also found that many of the adverse events were preventable. The Joint Commission, a not-for-profit organization that accredits and certifies hospitals, has recommendations for hospitals in light of the study findings. Hospitals should use kilograms for calculating dosages, improve identification of medicines and improve communication, as the errors most commonly occurred during the monitoring and prescribing/ordering of the medication process.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Veterans Get Wrong Cancer Treatment At Philadelphia VA Hospital

Jamie Sheller — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:44:44 GMT

Ninety-two veterans at a VA hospital in Philadelphia received incorrect cancer treatment. Over the course of six years, the veterans, who were being treated for prostate cancer, were given the wrong doses of radiation therapy. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, in ninety-two of one hundred and fourteen cases, there were medical treatment errors. The treatment, called brachytherapy, involves implanting radiation seeds to kill the cancer cells. According to an investigation, in fifty-seven veterans, too little radiation was delivered to the prostate, and thirty-five veterans received overdoses of radiation to other parts of the body. Some veterans with prostate cancer received both underdoses to the prostate and overdoses to other body parts. The number of dosing errors led to an inspection of the Philadelphia Veterans Medica Center by a federal commission. Meanwhile, the prostate cancer treatment program at the Philadelphia VA hospital has been suspended, and several staff members no longer work for the VA hospital. All of the veterans who received the wrong prostate cancer treatment, have been given follow-up care.

Anyone who received improper prostate cancer treatment at the Philadelphia Veterans Medical Center should contact Sheller, P.C. to discuss whether you have a potential legal claim. The lawyers at Sheller, P.C. have many years of experience successfully representing injured people, and helping them recover the compensation they deserve for their injuries. Our lawyers represent people injured by medical errors, defective drugs and dangerous products.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Patients Experience Difficulty Trying to Obtain Medical Records

Jamie Sheller — Fri, 23 May 2008 11:22:00 GMT

Under federal law, every patient or a designated representative has the right to see and copy the patient's medical records. However, according to USA Today's Patient Safety website, missing or disputed records are the most common source of complaints about inadequate medical care. Patients often complain that their ability to bring a lawsuit against hospitals or medical providers was hampered by those providers obstructing access to the medical records. When records appear to be incomplete, the patient or family may need an attorney to assist them in obtaining the records. Visit http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-04-29-medical-records_N.htm for more information.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis caused by pain pumps

Jamie Sheller — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:22:21 GMT

Postarthroscopic Glenohumeral Chondrolysis, or PAGCL, is a painful condition in the shoulder caused when the cartilage between the humeral head and the ball and socket of your shoulder has broken down to the point where bone meets bone. Recently, studies have shown that pain pumps used after shoulder surgery is a leading cause for this pain. While these products are still available on the market, attorneys are beginning to bring claims against the manufacturers for related injuries. If you or a loved one has experienced serious injuries from these pain pumps, please contact our firm. We have a team of experienced trial attorneys who are waiting to assist you.

For more information on this subject, please see our section on Drugs, Medical Devices and Implants.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Medtronic Recalls Sprint Fidelis Cardiac Leads

Jamie Sheller — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 11:00:20 GMT

Medtronic has removed its Sprint Fidelis defibrillation leads from the market after several adverse events in patients. Defibrillators are used to monitor the heart rate in patients. If the defibrillator detects an irregular heart rhythm, it sends an electrical shock to the heart to restore normal rhythm. Medtronic has found that the leads are prone to fracture. These fractures may cause the lead to deliver unnecessary shocks to the heart or not operate at all. Due to the problems with the leads, Medtronics has requested that doctors stop implanting the leads and return all unused leads to Medtronic. If you or a loved one has been injured by an implanted defibrillator, you may be entitled to compensation. Please contact the attorneys at Sheller, P.C. to discuss your legal rights. We have a team of experienced trial attorneys who can use their expertise to help you.

For more information on this subject, please refer to the section on Drugs, Medical Devices, and Implants.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Recall of Some Boston Scientific Guide Catheters

Jamie Sheller — Fri, 22 Dec 2006 16:30:59 GMT

The FDA has recalled 12 lots of Boston Scientific's Mach 1 Guide Catheters. These devices are tubes that are thread through the body and used to help treat coronary artery disease. Excess strands of resin may be inside of some of the catheters. In the event that excess resin is present and detaches while the catheter is being used in treatment, embolization may occur. Embolization in a blood vessel can lead to serious complications such as stroke and heart attack.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Off Label Use of Drug Eluting Stents Carries Increased Risks

Jamie Sheller — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 13:57:36 GMT

According to the FDA, off-label use of drug-eluting stents carries an increased risk of thrombosis, myocardial infarction and death. An FDA advisory panel recommended changing the labels of such stents. The two approved devices are Cypher (sirolimus-eluting) and Taxus (paclitaxel-eluting). Approximately 60% of the three million drug-eluting stents implanted in Americans, are off-label. In addition recommending label changes, the FDA panel also agreed that "future pre-market clinical trials of drug-eluting stents 'should be longer and bigger and should specifically address the issue of stent thrombosis.'"

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Guidant Settles Lawsuit Over Defibrillator

Jamie Sheller — Fri, 15 Sep 2006 11:51:14 GMT

Recently, the Guidant Corporation settled a lawsuit over one of its cardiac defibrillators. The fraud suit was filed in Texas, and trial was scheduled to start on September 18, 2006. In the lawsuit, plaintiffs Beatrice Hinojosa and Louis Motal claimed that Guidant failed to warn them about the risk of failure for their implanted heart devices. In 2005, Guidant recalled thousands of its defibrillators because of defects.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller

Man Received Cancerous Lungs in Transplant, Lawsuit Filed

Jamie Sheller — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:44:31 GMT

A lawsuit has been filed that claims that a man received cancerous lungs during a transplant and then died six months later.

A spokeswoman for the Penn Health System, Susan Phillips, stated that the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania had no way of knowing that the lungs were unhealthy and never gave Tony Grier or his family any misinformation.

Grier was diagnosed with pulmonary sarcoidosis, which causes lung tissue to harden, in 1986. He put his name on a transplant waiting list and finally received a pair of donor lungs in 2005. Grier remained hospitalized from the time of his surgery to his death on July 16, 2007 at the age of 43.

Grier's mother, who brought the suit, said that Penn told Grier that he was receiving healthy lungs from an 18-year-old.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jamie Sheller