Hospital Settles with Patient After Stroke Caused by Catheter Error
A hospital trust has reached a six-figure settlement with a woman who experienced a stroke after a catheter was mistakenly placed in an artery instead of a vein during her Covid-19 treatment at Whiston Hospital in Merseyside.
The woman, who was 32 at the time of the incident in February 2021, had been admitted for breathing issues. Following the error, which went unnoticed for four days, she suffered significant health impacts, including impaired vision and weakness, and spent over two months in an acute stroke ward.
The Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust expressed regret over the incident, stating that a central venous line had been incorrectly positioned, leading to emergency medication being delivered to the brain instead of the heart. The trust conducted an investigation and has since implemented measures to improve clinical practices.
