The plaintiffs decedent, age fifteen, underwent septoplasty surgery in 2004 to relieve a chronic nasal obstruction, deviated septum and turbinate hypertrophy. The decedent was given fifty milligrams of morphine during surgery. An additional seventy-five milligrams of Demerol was administered by IV while the decedent was in the recovery room after surgery. The decedent was still sleeping two hours after the surgery.

At that time, the parents were told that the patient had to leave. The decedent was helped to get dressed by his parents and awakened long enough to get into the car. He was driven home and laid on the couch while the parents took care of other things. When the parents checked on him he was found with no pulse or respiration. Paramedics were called and the decedent was transported by ambulance to a hospital where he was declared dead.

The plaintiff claimed that the decedent should not have been discharged, as he did not meet discharge criteria. The coroner opined that the post-mortem level of Demerol in the decedent’s blood suggested he had taken more Demerol after his discharge. The plaintiffs claimed that this was untrue and that the decedent had turned down an additional dose of Demerol offered by a nurse before leaving the hospital. The plaintiffs argued that the coroner failed to take into account post-mortem redistributional changes of drug levels which caused drugs to transfer to the blood stream.

According to a report, a confidential settlement was reached.

With permission from Medical Malpractice Verdicts, Settlements & Experts; Lewis Laska, Editor, 901 Church St., Nashville, TN 37203-3411, 1-800-298-6288.