Errors happen everywhere, and medical fields are no exception.
Nevertheless, not all mistakes are equal, and some are less forgivable than others.
In a recent medical bungle, a 27-year-old Russian, Ekaterina Fedyaeva, has been placed on a wrong solution that cost the young woman her life.
Allegedly, Ekaterina was undergoing a routine operation at a hospital in Ulyanovsk when the medics filled her IV bags with a deadly substance. Instead of applying the saline solution, they filled the bag with formaldehyde solution.
Formalin is a strong-smelling, colorless, toxic chemical substance that is often used in the industry of plastics, textiles, paint, construction, and papers. On top of that, it is also well-known for its ability to preserve the human corpse.
At the time of the surgery, Ekaterina’s mother, Galina Baryshnikova, and her husband, Igor, were waiting for her to be done. As she came out of the operating room, “her legs were moving, she had convulsions… her whole body was shaking,” Galina said. “I put socks on her, then a robe, then a blanket but she was shivering to such an extent, I can’t even describe it.”
Despite obvious issues with her condition, no doctor came to aid. Eventually, they left the hospital and took Ekaterina home. For the following two days, she suffered from awful pains and convulsions until coma took over.
The 27-year-old was then put on life support; however, by then her heart had already stopped beating several times.
After being transferred to a bigger hospital in Moscow, Ekaterina woke up briefly before succumbing to multiple organ failures that ended her life.
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As investigation revealed, Ekaterina was poisoned with formalin solution at the very place that was supposed to make her feel better. Upon learning this news, her mother accused the medics of murder.
“We had no idea it was formalin. Now I understand that formalin was simply eroding her body from the inside,” Galina said. “People who performed the surgery already knew that they infused something wrong. They needed to take some urgent measures – but they did nothing,” the grieving mother continued.
She also explained that she approached a female doctor after her daughter was rushed to intensive care and pleaded for help. While the medic admitted that a “medical mistake” was made, they didn’t share any details with the mother.
Later on, it was found that the medics used 52 drugs while trying to save the young girl’s life.
As of right now, a criminal investigation is underway to reveal the details of the incident. As for Ekaterina, she was buried on April 7. May she rest in peace.
What do you make of such medical bungles that turn out to be death sentences? How should such problems be addressed so that we can prevent them from happening again? Let us know what you think and don’t forget to SHARE this post!