Article about botched surgery

[AmyFromCincy 56]

Not sure if this has been discussed/shared yet.

http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/news/a32485/angie-stidum-coma-botched-surgery-mexico/?src=spr_FBPAGE&spr_id=1443_180343570

[ShellMilliner 233]

That's very sad. I wouldn't call it a botched surgery though. It was a reaction to medication. I wonder if she knew about her medication allergy prior to the surgery? Unfortunately, this is how many people find out they are allergic to certain medications. I had a good freind that came close to dying after a PCL, MCL. ACL knee repair at a fantastic hospital. She never knew she was allergic to morphine. Her first indication was increased pain so they pushed more pain meds then she went into severe resperitory distress. In the end she recovered, but undiagnosised medication allergies are very scary business.

Edited May 14, 2015 by ShellMilliner

[woo woo 872]

I'm confused, this doesn't appear to be a "botched surgery" at all, but rather a reaction to antibiotics.

The title of the article seems misleading.

[drmeow 323]

yeah, saying botched surgery is pretty misleading. Anyone can have an allergic reaction to a medication. The report is also somewhat sketchy on exactly what the med was - the article says "cephalosporin, which is not used in the US" - that is incorrect. Cephalosporin is not one antibiotic, it's a group of antibiotics and they are used very much in the US (ie Keflex, cefazolin, and others) And if you go to the ABC news site and listen to the tape, they don't say cephalosporin at all, though I can't quite tell what they ARE saying.

OTOH, it does sound the particular place she went might not be the best option in Mexico - she was dropped off at a shopping center and a van took the patients across the border? It's hard to know what the full story is.

edited to say I didn't put that link in with the word Mexico - it apparently does that by itself.

Edited May 14, 2015 by drmeow