Adam Fitzpatrick survived a horror crash only to die after a series of cascading and catastrophic errors at one of NSW’s leading trauma hospitals | carriefellner
Adam Fitzpatrick was meant to be one of the lucky ones. After he was pulled from the wreckage of a car crash in the NSW Riverina region last year, plastic surgeons masterfully pieced together the shattered fragments of his face “like a jigsaw”.
Adam’s life was ripped away by a series of cascading and catastrophic errors in the intensive care unit of one of NSW’s leading trauma hospitals.reveals that when Adam’s breathing tube became dislodged, doctors failed to recognise the problem, were unable to fix it and decided against calling for the help of a specialist who could have replaced the tube in minutes and saved Adam’s life.
The events raise broader questions around whether enough is done in Australian hospitals to prevent catastrophic incidents involving tracheostomies and whether preventable deaths are covered up due to a lack of accountability. Adam Fitzpatrick with his parents Philippa and Peter. The Fitzpatricks feel they would never have found out the truth about Adam’s death if it was not for the family’s medical background.
A tracheostomy tube was inserted through Adam’s neck, connected to a ventilator that pumped oxygen into his lungs. “I kept thinking, why isn’t someone coming? If I had not been present on this day Adam could have died.” However, the next morning Philippa felt uneasy because the tube appeared to be protruding at a strange angle.
Despite the malfunctioning tracheostomy, Adam was breathing spontaneously on his own and levels of oxygen in his blood were normal. It was only when the ear nose and throat medical officer arrived that it was found the tracheostomy tube was dislodged and in the pretracheal space.But scans three days later confirmed Adam had suffered catastrophic brain injuries from oxygen deprivation and he was declared dead.Philippa and Peter Fitzpatrick with their daughters Emma and Amanda, and Adam’s girlfriend Lucinda Eddy in Jugiong.
Two key documents requested on the day of Adam’s death were not given to the family, who were later told they no longer existed because they were on machines that only stored data for three months. The hospital insisted the documents were not destroyed but “overridden”. The original version of the analysis approved by St George Hospital did not identify any root causes of Adam’s death or make any recommendations.
Adam, Amanda and Emma Fitzpatrick shared a close bond as siblings growing up in the NSW South West Slopes. He drew on the “swiss cheese” model of risk, where a number of holes in the cheese have to line up for a catastrophic event to occur. A multi-prong approach could plug at least some of those holes, Professor Brenner says.
Dr Warrillow says his first concern is always for patients and their families when adverse events occur but notes preventing such incidents also has a profound effect on the healthcare workers involved. Emma Fitzpatrick, a lawyer, has moved into the medical negligence sector since her brother’s death to help other families find justice.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Man attacked by otters in Singapore park thought he was going to dieA man attacked by otters says he feared he would be killed during the harrowing experience.
Read more »
Aussie beast celebrates brutal UFC win with a shoeyTAI 'BAM BAM' TUIVASA 🥊😍 Gets the knockout, celebrates with a shoey 👊 WATCH 👇 UFC269
Read more »
Author of Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice, dies aged 80Ms Rice, whose books sold more than 150 million copies, died due to complications from a stroke, her son Christopher Rice announced on Facebook and Twitter.
Read more »
Three new Omicron cases detected as daily infections rise in NSWPatrons from another Sydney nightclub have been told to monitor for coronavirus symptoms by NSW Health after positive cases from the Sydney Harbour boat cruise party outbreak visited the venue.
Read more »
Victoria COVID-19 cases grow by 1193, 13 deaths as wait times for tests blow outHealth experts have called for additional testing in Victoria after lengthy waits were reported at a number of key testing sites in inner Melbourne, as Victoria recorded 1193 coronavirus cases and 13 deaths on Saturday. theage breaking news reporter A...
Read more »