May marks Action on Stroke month and our Medical Negligence team have written an article highlighting information on strokes and their experience in dealing with tragic cases involving the mismanagement and misdiagnosis of strokes.
A stroke is a serious life-threatening medical condition that occurs when the blood supply to a specific part of the brain is either restricted or cut off – thereby reducing oxygen to that part of the brain and causing permanent damage. Urgent treatment is essential, and the effects of a stroke can be a devastating, both to the individual and the family.
The risk of a stroke can be increased if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, irregular heart-beats (atrial fibrillation) or diabetes. A stroke is caused in two ways – where the blood supply is stopped because of a clot (ischaemic stroke) or where a weakened blood vessel supplying the brain bursts (haemorrhagic stroke).
The principles of stroke management revolve around prompt diagnosis and treatment. The sooner a person receives treatment, the less damage is likely to happen. Clinical staff (and many of the general public) are familiar with the acronym ‘F.A.S.T’ which is used to aid identification of a person who may be suffering from a stroke. ‘F.A.S.T’ stands for ‘Face’ (can the person smile? Has their mouth or eye drooped?), ‘Arm’ (can the person raise both arms fully and keep them there?), ‘Speech’ (can the person speak clearly and understand what you say? Is their speech slurred?), and ‘Time’. If any of these signs occur, call 999 immediately.
Most stroke claims revolve around the mismanagement/misdiagnosis of a blood clot, brain bleed, atrial fibrillation, high blood pressure leading to haemorrhage, and a failure to recognise stroke symptoms.
Treatment will depend on the type of stroke, the location of the brain damage, and treating any underlying cause. Some strokes are treated with medicine to prevent and dissolve clots, and some are treated with surgery to either physically remove a clot, or allow blood associated with a haemorrhagic stroke to drain from the part of the brain affected.
Our medical negligence team can advise you in respect of claiming compensation if you or your loved one have suffered the effects of an avoidable stroke, or have suffered a more severe disability if there were delays in treatment. Our dedicated medical negligence team can support you through the process of making a claim for compensation.
Case Example
A 74-old male was scheduled for a cataract operation at the defendant hospital. During the pre-operative assessment, the Trust nurse found he had an abnormal pulse rate (a cardinal feature of atrial fibrillation – which if not treated increases risk of a stroke significantly). They did not however proceed to follow Trust guidelines, which was to stress the importance of the finding and refer him, in writing that day, to his GP. Eleven days later he suffered a massive stroke, resulting in hemiplegia (paralysis down one side of his body). He was admitted permanently to a care home due to his condition. Expert evidence supported the premise that had he been referred any time up to 24 hours before the end of the 2-week period, he would have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, given medication, and would have avoided the stroke. A claim for almost £330,000 in compensation was made against the Trust for accommodation modifications and additional monies paid by the family to the care home to support his additional, negligently acquired dependency.
For further information and support about strokes, please see:
https://differentstrokes.co.uk/
If you have any questions or you are concerned that you or a loved one has been mismanaged or misdiagnosed with a stroke, please do not hesitate to contact our medical negligence team for more information.
Cullompton 01884 33818
Exeter 01392 285000