$1.36M For Death Following Colonoscopy: On April 3, 2023, a North Carolina medical malpractice jury returned its verdict in the amount of $1.36 million for the estate of a 70-year-old man who died shortly after undergoing a screening colonoscopy. The defendants were a CRNA and an anesthesiology practice.
The man’s widow and two adult sons filed their North Carolina medical malpractice wrongful death lawsuit in which they alleged that the CRNA failed to recognize and effectively resolve an airway obstruction. The man was at greater risk for an airway obstruction due to his BMI, obstructive sleep apnea, and his large tongue.
Deep sedation was achieved using Propofol. The man suffered cardiac arrest during the colonoscopy procedure, and he was transferred to a hospital, where he never regained consciousness. He was removed from life support seven days later. An autopsy determined that the man died from a hypoxic ischemic brain injury due to the cardiac arrest.
The CRNA’s Anesthesia Record indicated that approximately four minutes into the procedure, the man experienced bradycardia, with a heart rate of 40. The CRNA documented that she immediately administered a dose of Robinul after which the man’s heart rate increased to the 50s. She then administered another dose of Robinul. Seven to eight minutes later, the CRNA documented that the procedure had concluded and the scope had been withdrawn. One minute later, the CRNA documented that the man’s O2 sats were in the 30s and 40s, with a heart rate “remaining” in the 50s. The CRNA immediately began ventilation with an AMBU bag and mask. One minute later, O2 sats were documented as absent and the man’s heart rate was in the 20s. The CRNA documented that she inserted a laryngeal mask airway and continued ventilation. Two minutes later, the patient was documented as being in pulseless electrical activity arrest.
A Code was called and three minutes into the Code, the CRNA documented the return of strong pulses just before EMS arrived to assume care.
During discovery, the plaintiff discovered that another CRNA had been called into the room to assist during the Code. The second CRNA testified during her deposition that when she arrived home the evening of the incident, she wrote a statement in anticipation that she would be requested to prepare an incident report, which described a different timeline and contained a different description of the events than stated in the Anesthesia Record.
The defense expert testified during trial that stimulation of the colon during the colonoscopy caused a vagal reflex (temporary drop in HR and BP), which caused an arrhythmia from which the man could not recover. On cross examination, the defense expert admitted there was no objective finding of vagal reflex in the autopsy and that he had excluded other possible causes, such as hypoxia, based on the CRNA’s record.
Mary J. Pearson, as Administrator of the Estate of Frank Pearson v. Jennifer Humphreys, CRNA and Carolina Anesthesiology Associates, PA, Guilford County Superior Court, No. 20-CVS-4668.
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