Delay in diagnosing blood clots

An ischemic (lacking blood flow) limb is a true medical emergency. Delay in treating a blood clot often results in amputation of fingers, toes, arms or legs. Once blood flow stops, there is a limited window of opportunity within which to restore the flow of blood. Left untreated, necrosis (death) of the body part lacking blood flow will usually occur within six to eight hours. One hour must be subtracted from the six to eight hour timeframe within which blood flow must be restored in order to allow for the unavoidable one hour delay caused by the “decision to incision” time, (the amount of time it takes to assemble the staff, ready the operating room and prepare the patient for surgery after a decision to perform surgery has been made).

Diagnosing Blood Clots

Diagnosis: The sudden onset of excruciating pain is the most common symptom when blood flow is inadequate. Another common symptom is that the affected limb is colder and a different color than the unaffected limb on the other side of the body. Diagnosis of a limb with ischemia (insufficient blood flow) can be done with a doppler ultrasound or in some cases, with the injection of dye into the blood and the use of x-rays to map out the exact location of the blockage.
Treatment: Typical treatments for a blockage include an embolectomy (removing a blood clot with a catheterization procedure), using tPA (a clot buster) or performing bypass surgery (restoring blood flow by rerouting blood flow around the blockage).

Schedule a Consultation With a New Jersey Medical Malpractice

Finding an attorney who is experienced in both medical malpractice and amputation cases is in your best interests. For your amputation claim, look no further than the legal team at Team Law in New Jersey. Our medical malpractice attorneys handle amputation cases as well as other types of malpractice cases. We represent clients in Clark, Woodbridge, Elizabeth, Newark, Edison, Middletown and throughout New Jersey. We will fight diligently to make sure you are properly compensated for your injuries. Simply call (732) 540-1394 or fill out the outline contact form to get started today. We have offices in Clark, Union City, Perth Amboy, Edison, Newark, New Brunswick, Highland Park, Orange, Middletown and Jersey City, New Jersey.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.