Missed Diagnosis-Sub-Dural Empyema
A 21 year old Navy enlisted man hits his head on a file cabinet. It is a puncture type wound. A Navy doctor stitches up the wound and discharges him. Several days later he is spiking a fever and having vision problems. He sees a private E.R. physician who gives him antibiotics, but does not perform a CT scan of his head. Three weeks later, the patient is in serious trouble and a second E.R. physician fails to admit him to the hospital.
The patient is ultimately diagnosed with a sub-dural empyema brain infection. He undergoes 18 brain surgeries over a period of a year to address multiple infections. His skull cap is replaced with a synthetic material which causes multiple infections. Patient is severely disabled for the rest of his life.