A screwball lawsuit to complicate things

[Guest]

I just heard of a person suing a dentist because the warfarin was not stopped for a simple dental procedure and the person had some bleeding. The INR was below 2.0 but the person said they had missed no warfarin.

 

[Rich]

Al,
That sounds ridiculous like the woman with the hot coffee in her lap at Mickey D's.
Anything for a buck and a lawyer just waiting to do it.

 

[Ross]

Can we hope that the legal system has some knowledge of Coumadin and protocols?

 

[tommy]

Can we hope that the legal system has some knowledge of Coumadin and protocols?

Heck, the medical profession has trouble with that one

 

[jeffp]

I just heard of a person suing a dentist because the warfarin was not stopped for a simple dental procedure and the person had some bleeding. The INR was below 2.0 but the person said they had missed no warfarin.

I just hate suits like this. They'll ask for $200K, signalling its just a "pocket money" suit. Initial discovery will go around, the defense will send an estimate of billings for the case to the insurer in the $80-100K range, and eventually they will go with the cheaper option of settling for around $50K for "pain and suffering" without any addmission of liability. The poor dentist, (with a 100% defensible case), will get an entry in the national malpractice data bank (causing him to lose some insurance panel participation and possibly hospital privleges), higher premiums, mental stress and will practice on his "tip toes" for the next few years. The whole way the system is set up really encourages small crap like this.
(I gave up years ago wondering why my malpractice rates were so high and ever increasing.)
---end of rant---

 

[Karlynn]

And we wonder why we pay the fees we do?

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I think she has a valid case against the dentist. I also think the dentist should have a mark against them for this, and hope this person obtains a better settlement than 50k. JIMVHO

Are you saying that you think the dentist should have STOPPED the patient's warfarin before performing "a simple dental procedure"?

What ROCK have you been hiding under? Several Dental schools and associations are advocating continuing warfarin treatment and treating any (minor) bleeding locally.

WHY?

Because of the HIGH RISK of STROKE from stopping Warfarin and the High Cost of Bridging Therapy, not to mention that it is better to use bridging therapy only when absolutely necessary.

As AL Lodwick and others have often said, "It is easier to replace blood cells than to replace BRAIN cells."

If I were that Dentist, I would FIRE that PATIENT.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Nancy]

The dentist was right, bleeding can be stopped. A stroke from no anti-coagulation could be a permanent disability or even death.

The woman should have sought help to stop the bleeding. Possibly pressure is all she would have needed.

This really stinks, and will make other dentists not want to do the right thing.

I hope she loses.

 

[Karlynn]

I think she has a valid case against the dentist. I also think the dentist should have a mark against them for this, and hope this person obtains a better settlement than 50k. JIMVHO

Kim, I see on your profile that you have a St. Jude mitral valve and have had 2 strokes. Were these before or after your replacement? I am assuming after. I would think that you would particularly be sensitive to the way that the dental and medical community seem to still want to pull patients off Coumadin for the simplest procedures because they fear bleeding. Those of us with mechanical mitral valve replacements are considered high risk for stroke and should be kept anticoagulated as much as possible.

The dentist was following correct protocol for Coumadin and if the law suit is strictly about his allowing her to stay on it, then he is absolutely, unequivically in the right. I would never go to a dentist who wanted me to come off warfarin for simple procedures, or even tooth extraction for that matter (since I have a mechanical mitral valve).

The next thing we'll hear is a Coumadin user suing a knife company for not putting a warning on their knives.

 

[bvdr]

When I read about some of these lawsuits I feel somewhat embarassed to be part of the human race.

Kim, you aren't serious are you?

 

[tommy]

I did Lovenox bridge therapy for a root canal once. Next time I'll push for staying on Coumadin (perhaps engineering the INR to the lower end of the range).

But to complain about staying on anticoagulants for a simple procedure....geesh! Al, any clue what the procedure was?

PS....I pay more attention to dental hygene since the root canal.

 

[catwoman]

Remember:

Blood cells can be replaced. Brain cells can't.

 

[jeffp]

Hey Ross,
We need an icon or smilie for a can of worms. This thread seems to have opened one up

 

[William]

Back to the lady who sued the Dentist, this calls for some details. How much bleeding did she have? Did it end up at the ER to stop it or was it handled in the office? What kind of procedure did she have? Will

 

[geebee]

I did Lovenox bridge therapy for a root canal once. Next time I'll push for staying on Coumadin (perhaps engineering the INR to the lower end of the range).

But to complain about staying on anticoagulants for a simple procedure....geesh! Al, any clue what the procedure was?

PS....I pay more attention to dental hygene since the root canal.

Tom,

I just had a root canal a couple of months ago and was fully coagulated. The endodontist (I think that's the correct name) said the only bleeding I would have was from the anesthetic injection. The injection sight was pretty bruised but, other than that, I had no problems

This lawsuit is dumb and the lady is an idiot. However, I would like to see some more info on what her case is based on besides greed.

And, Kim, I just don't understand your statement at all.

 

[Ross]

Hey Ross,
We need an icon or smilie for a can of worms. This thread seems to have opened one up

That's alright, I'm a worm farmer. It's time for a good harvesting crop.

 

[warrenr]

Based on what

Based on what

I think she has a valid case against the dentist. I also think the dentist should have a mark against them for this, and hope this person obtains a better settlement than 50k. JIMVHO

Kim, I sure would like to know what written guidelines/protocol's you are basing your opinion on. If I were in your shoes (Mechanical Mitral Valve) I would spend some time researching and educating myself on the use of anticoagulants.

 

[warrenr]

Al,
I would assume the this patient is alive and well. The bleeding did not put the person in a wheel chair for the rest of her/his life, did it? It didn't leave her/his with any permenant damage, did it?"

 

[lance]

Beginning to understand

Beginning to understand

Following my initiation into the wonderful world of warfarin I noticed a distinct change in attitude from my dentist of 15 years.

Also from the orthodontist who advised the withdrawal of warfarin 5 days prior to scaling. We "discussed" the subject in full. He was also suspicious and allowed the technician to use the manual scaler only--it's all changed now and yes there is some bleeding. Everyone else would have bleeding from scaling as well.

Now I'm beginning to understand my dentists' reticance with a warfarinized patient.

That person referred to in Al's post is truly a DORK (unless there is more to the story--makes life harder for all of us as well.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

Cheers

 

[Guest]

I don't know any more about the case except that the person is alive and well. You have to wonder how much more impassioned pleas for justice that there would be if she had wound up like Warren's Dad.