Patient who suffered ‘life-changing’ gadolinium reaction awaits jury’s medical malpractice decision
A Pennsylvania man who suffered “life-changing” consequences from an allergic reaction to gadolinium is awaiting a jury’s decision on whether he will receive monetary compensation for his injuries.
In 2016, Christopher Carey Miller, 45, went to Tyrone Hospital in Tyrone, Pennsylvania, for an MRI when an adverse reaction to gadolinium caused his heart to stop, resulting in brain damage that “robbed Miller of life-functioning skills,” the Altoona Mirror reported Tuesday.
As a result of his injuries, Miller filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the hospital and radiologist Kelly Biggs, MD, claiming the parties did not follow policies and procedures that would have mitigated his injuries. Miller’s attorneys specifically pointed to the hospital not having an alarm nor drug box in the MRI room.
This forced the imaging technologist to set off an alarm 60 feet away in the emergency room to get Miller the help he needed. Biggs responded to the alarm and went to notify the doctor overseeing the emergency department, but the series of events likely delayed Miller’s transfer to the ED for treatment, according to the Pennsylvania news organization.
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Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.