Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a procedure where a doctor uses an endoscope to help diagnose a number of conditions affecting a person’s pancreas, gallbladder, and bile ducts. The procedure involves running an endoscope through a person’s mouth and into their small intestine. A contrast dye is injected throughout the process to help doctors visualize a person’s internal organs.

ERCP has proven to be life-saving in a number of different situations. However, it is also one of the highest-risk procedures that routinely gets performed in a healthcare setting. When the procedure is performed improperly, this can lead to severe complications. These complications can range from infections, internal bleeding, pancreatitis, and death in severe cases. ERCP malpractice may also result in cancer misdiagnosis. Any person who suspects they may be the victim of ERCP malpractice should carefully consider their legal options. The experienced ERCP malpractice attorneys at GLK Law are here for you. You can contact us today for a risk-free case evaluation at 800-529-9997.

The Link Between Pancreatitis and ERCP Procedures

Pancreatitis remains one of the most common complications of any ERCP procedure. It occurs when any part of the pancreas becomes irritated or injured by the endoscope. Some level of risk is inherent in any ERCP procedure. However, medical providers are supposed to take certain precautions to prevent instances where patients are needlessly harmed. What follows are some of the factors linked to a greater risk of injury.

• A healthcare provider may accidentally inject the contrast dye into the pancreatic duct of the patient.
• A healthcare provider may use multiple or prolonged attempts to access the patient’s pancreatic duct.
• A healthcare provider may fail to use certain preventative measures like pancreatic stents or rectal NSAIDs.
• A healthcare provider may perform an ERCP on a patient that is high risk without taking appropriate safeguards to ensure their safety.

Many complications with ERCP procedures are preventable when adequate safeguards are used. If a healthcare provider fails to use safety precautions or take risk factors into consideration, patients can easily develop acute pancreatitis. Pancreatitis can result in mild discomfort or a life-threatening illness that necessitates a prolonged hospitalization. Many patients have suffered organ failure.

Signs Something Went Wrong During an ERCP Procedure

Mild discomfort is an extremely common occurrence after any ERCP procedure. However, certain symptoms may indicate more serious complications, including pancreatitis for infections. These complications are often a major sign that a medical error has taken place. Patients should take notice when they experience any of the following symptoms.

• Worsening abdominal pain, especially shortly after the procedure has taken place
• Persistent nausea or vomiting that disrupts the person’s ability to eat
• Fever, chills, and other potential signs of an infection
• Difficulty breathing or rapid heart rate
• Confusion and unusual weakness, which can be signs a person’s organs are distressed

Complications often worsen when healthcare providers fail to respond in a timely manner after initial symptoms show up. Mild to moderate symptoms can easily progress into a life-threatening condition. This is why it is so important that patients are properly monitored for some time after any ERCP procedure, especially if they are high risk.

Liability for ERCP Malpractice

Doctors and hospitals have a legal obligation to protect patients from reasonably foreseeable sources of harm. Medical malpractice occurs when a patient is injured or killed by a doctor or hospital’s deviation from the applicable standard of care. There is no single standard of care for any healthcare field. However, a doctor’s or hospital’s standard of care is met when a doctor or hospital with an equivalent skill set would have followed the same procedures and guidelines under identical circumstances. There are several ways that a doctor may have committed malpractice during ERCP.

• A doctor may have performed the ERCP when it was not medically necessary.
• A doctor may fail to recognize that a patient was high-risk.
• A doctor may have failed to use the correct techniques during cannulation of the bile ducts.
• A doctor may have accidentally injected contrast dye into the bile ducts.
• A doctor may have failed to properly monitor a patient after the procedure was completed.
• A doctor may have failed to provide timely medical care after a patient exhibited symptoms of complications.

Liability for any instance of ERCP malpractice may be shared among many different healthcare providers and institutions. Malpractice is rarely the result of one person’s failures. It is more likely to be the consequence of systemic issues at a hospital. This includes situations where healthcare providers are not properly coordinating and communicating with one another. Identifying every potential liable party after any instance of malpractice is a critical component of ensuring that all responsible parties are held fully accountable for a patient’s injuries.

Delayed Cancer Diagnoses Involving ERCP Procedures

Delayed diagnoses remains one of the leading causes of preventable injury and death across all medical fields. This is also true with respect to ERCP procedures. The ERCP is commonly used to evaluate serious medical conditions, but errors during the procedure can lead to a delayed cancer diagnosis. Physicians may fail to properly evaluate any abnormal findings, which can cause patients to lose critical time to treat cancer and often life-threatening illnesses. Several factors could contribute to any delayed diagnosis.

• A hospital may have failed to identify potentially suspicious findings that occurred during the ERCP.
• A hospital may have failed to perform a complete evaluation of all of the bile or pancreatic ducts.
• A hospital may have failed to order all of the necessary follow-up tests and referrals after the ERCP.
• A hospital may have failed to coordinate with specialists during continued care.
• A hospital may have failed to identify a patient’s worsening conditions following the procedure.

Any type of delay or breakdown in care can allow a patient’s cancer to rapidly progress. This may dramatically impair a person’s survival outcomes and treatment options. Early diagnosis is key to treating every type of cancer. Determining whether or not a hospital or healthcare provider failed to properly diagnose cancer requires a careful evaluation of all of the facts. These types of cases usually require a careful review by medical experts.

Why You Should Hire GLK Law After ERCP Malpractice

GLK Law has recovered over $1 billion in verdicts and settlements for our deserving clients. Our legal team has extensive experience in medical malpractice claims. This success has been made possible by our network of experts who provide enormous assistance in these types of cases. There are many different reasons that you should consider hiring our legal team if you’ve been the victim of ERCP malpractice.

• Maximize Compensation: We are intensely focused on maximizing the value of every case that we take on. That means that we will aggressively pursue every party that could be liable for your injury. If they are not willing to offer a fair settlement, we are more than prepared to take every case to trial.
• Proven Results: Our attorneys have successfully recovered numerous seven-figure verdicts and settlements for accident victims.
• Client Focused: We are intensely focused on the specific needs of clients and what is in their best interests. When you hire our law firm, you can rest assured that we will keep you informed at every step of the legal process.
• No Upfront Fees: There are absolutely no upfront fees to hire our law firm. We work entirely on a contingency fee basis. In other words, we get paid entirely from the opposing party if we are able to successfully resolve your claim.

Hiring the right attorney can often mean the difference between winning or losing any legal claim. Hospitals will virtually never accept responsibility when they harm a patient through their own negligence. This is why it is so important that these cases are properly evaluated by an outside party. When you hire our legal practice, you can rest assured that we will do everything in our power to help you get the best outcome possible.

Getting Legal Help After ERCP Malpractice

If you or a loved one has suffered complications as a result of an ERCP procedure, the attorneys at GLK Law are here to help you. We can help you understand your rights and take the next steps to ensure that those rights are being protected. These types of cases can be extremely complex, often involving multiple care providers and detailed review of medical records. You don’t have to go through this process alone.

Our legal team can conduct a thorough review of your case at no cost. We remain committed to helping victims get the absolute most compensation possible so that they can focus on healing and moving forward with their lives. All of our cases are offered on a contingency basis. This means that there are no upfront costs on your behalf. Whether you just have legal questions or are wondering how an attorney might be able to help, we are here to serve your needs. You can reach out to us anytime at 800-529-9997.