Dr. M. saw her an hour later. At that time, she had minimal abdominal distention and normal vital signs with no tenderness or guarding. Dr. M. made a diagnosis of postoperative pain, and the patient was soon discharged.
She returned to the ED the next day with continuing complaints of severe abdominal pain. She was seen by another physician and admitted for emergency abdominal surgery, during which a perforated small bowel was discovered, complicated by peritonitis. The patient developed pulmonary insufficiency and renal failure resulting from sepsis. She remained on life support for one month until her death, attributed to multiorgan failure and septic shock.
The plaintiff claimed that Dr. M. should have obtained laboratory and radiology studies and a surgical consult. The plaintiff further claimed that the medications administered masked the decedent’s abdominal pain.
The defendants claimed that the decedent did not have a “through-and-through” perforation when she initially presented to the ED, and that pain medication does not mask a bowel perforation; the defendants claimed that the perforation occurred later.
A defense verdict was returned, with the plaintiff receiving an undisclosed amount under the terms of a high/low agreement.