Dialysis errors can be a very large problem in the United States. While many people may not think of dialysis errors when they think of medical malpractice, according to statistics there are over 660,000 Americans being treated for kidney disease (end state renal disease) with approximately 468,000 of them being dialysis patients. Minnesota and some of its largest cities like Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester, and Bloomington have some major dialysis centers servicing thousands of patients. When mistakes are made at these facilities, there can be many victims are are seriously hurt.
Any patient who has suffered an injury at a dialysis center may be entitled to certain protections under Minnesota law, including having medical bills reimbursed, future medical care and treatment paid for, lost wages covered, and other pain and suffering compensation. Call the Kuhlman Law Offices, PLLC to learn how I can help by dialing (612) 349-2747 for a FREE consultation.
The kidneys are part of the endocrine system and have a vital role in maintaining the body’s equilibrium of water and minerals while ridding the body of certain toxins and waste products. When patients have lost kidney function due to an injury, disease, condition, or complete kidney failure, they may need to have dialysis to help remove waste and excess water from their blood.
There are two main types of dialysis. The first is called hemodialysis, which is where the patient’s blood is pumped through the dialyzer which cleans the blood and returns it back to the body. This is achieved through a process of filter-like membranes in a large compartmented chamber of the dialyzer. Essentially, the machine is acting like an artificial kidney by pulling blood into it and filtering the toxins, waste, excess water, and excess minerals, and then sending it back into the person’s circulatory system.
Peritoneal dialysis is the second main types of dialysis, but is much less often used. The advantage is that it can be completed at home with minimal equipment and no assistance. This type involves a hole or catheter in your stomach which you pump dialysate, a cleaning solution, into your peritoneal cavity (abdominal cavity around your intestines). The peritoneal membrane acts as a natural filter to pull out impurities in your blood. The cleaning solution and the impurities are flushed out of your cavity thus cleaning your blood. This is typically less effective than hemodialysis, but it can be done anywhere, anytime, and even overnight. It is cheaper, move convenient, and still effective for some patients.
There are many different ways that medical malpractice could result in dialysis errors causing serious injuries or the death of a patient. These common errors include the following:
If you or a loved one have been injured due to the medical malpractice of a healthcare provider such as a doctor, nurse, hospital, or other health care service professional, call Kuhlman Law, LLC for a FREE consultation by dialing (612) 444-3374 to learn what your rights to compensation may be. If we accept your case, we will conduct a thorough review of your case and advise you whether there may have been a serious medical mistake causing your injury. There is no risk, and you do not owe us money unless we win your case.