Failure To Diagnose A Bowel Leak Or Ruptured Bowel

A perforated bowel is a hole or cut in the bowel of the small or large intestine. Other names for a perforated bowel are bowel leak, ruptured bowel and gastrointestinal perforation. A leak in the bowel allows bacteria, food and fecal matter to leak into the abdominal area, which can cause sepsis, infection, peritonitis, organ damage or even death.

If the perforation is recognized and treated in time, the perforation can usually be easily fixed through a simple surgery. But if the perforation is not treated timely, the patient can die or require a more complex surgery and may need to wear a colostomy bag for the rest of his or her life.

At Crandall & Pera Law, we advocate on behalf of patients across Ohio and northern Kentucky who suffer because of a failure of a medical professional to diagnose or properly treat a bowel leak. Our attorneys have decades of combined experience proving medical error and fighting to help patients obtain the maximum recovery the law allows. Learn more about Marc Pera’s significant related verdict.

Recognizing A Bowel Leak

An experienced gastrointestinal (usually shortened to GI), internal medicine doctor, gynecologist, urologist or general surgeon should be able to recognize the symptoms of a perforated bowel. Symptoms include chills, fever, vomiting, abdominal pain and nausea. Some of the diseases and medical conditions that can cause a bowel leak include:

• Appendicitis
• Cancer
• Crohn’s disease
• Diverticulitis
• Gallbladder disease
• Peptic ulcers
• Ulcerative colitis
• Surgical errors during a colonoscopy, hysterectomy, bladder repair or other surgeries
• An automobile accident or other accident that injures the bowel.

Common medical tests used to recognize a bowel leak are X-ray imaging, CT scans of the abdomen, and white blood cell count tests.

Without surgery, the immediate danger is that waste products could flow into the bloodstream. This can cause an infection such as sepsis, which can cause long-term harm or even be fatal. The possibility of peritonitis, an inflammation of the lining of the abdomen, is another concern when a bowel leak is not swiftly treated.

Protecting Your Rights After A Doctor Fails To Diagnose A Perforated Bowel

We help patients whose doctor failed to diagnose their bowel leak in time. We have been helping Ohio victims of medical malpractice for decades to get the award they deserve for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

The medical malpractice lawyers at Crandall & Pera Law serve clients throughout Ohio, including Cincinnati, Cleveland and Lexington. Please call 855-444-6651 for an appointment or fill out our contact form.