Each hemorrhoids and colon cancer can trigger bleeding. Hemorrhoids could be uncomfortable but aren't life-threatening. Colon cancer nevertheless can kill you. When a patient presents with complaints of rectal bleeding a diagnosis of hemorrhoids, with out 1st performing proper tests to remove the possibility of cancer, is often fatal. Look at the allegations that had been created inside the following documented case.
A 37-year-old woman tells her main care physician that she is noticing blood in her stools. The physician sends her residence using a kit for her to take samples of her school more than a three-day period. She returns the material that are examined and located to reveal the presence of occult blood within the stools. Regardless of the reality that this woman had previously informed the physician that her father had colon cancer the physician, as opposed to ordering a colonoscopy to figure out regardless of whether the source of the blood was from cancer, rather merely does an examination of the rectum. The physician located a tiny hemorrhoid and concluded that that was the reason for the blood within the stools.
More than the course of the subsequent 14 months the woman is observed by this physician additional than half a dozen times. Even though the woman had no extra complaints throughout this time she then reported once more seeing blood in her stool. Her symptoms now also included constipation and discomfort in her abdomen. As soon as once again nevertheless the physician merely examined her rectum. And needless to say the physician as soon as once more identified the hemorrhoid. And so when once again the physician assured her that her difficulties had been on account of the hemorrhoids.
Right after nine months and six much more visits the woman is now complaining not simply of discomfort but also diarrhea, cramping, and loose stool. This time the physician didn't even examine her rectum once more. The physician just stuck to the original diagnosis and as soon as once again told her that her difficulties had been all as a result of the hemorrhoid. When the woman returned two weeks later her main care physician was not present and also the physician who was covering identified no hemorrhoids but noted dark blood showing up on physical examination. This physician referred the woman for a colonoscopy. The outcomes of the colonoscopy and further testing revealed that she had cancer of the colon which had spread to her liver. She died inside two months.
The law firm that represented her family members, which includes her to young young children, was able to report a settlement of the resulting lawsuit inside the sum of $1.8 million. No doubt the had professionals who would have testified that below the circumstances the normal of care needed that the main care physician order a colonoscopy as soon as the woman began to report blood in her stools and that the cancer could have been treated successfully had she been diagnosed at that point.
An analysis of this case reveals particular concerns concerning the way doctors take into consideration colon cancer. There appear to be some doctors who continue to think that folks could be too young for colon cancer regardless of the truth that each year you'll find a particular number of people who're diagnosed with cancer of the colon at an age younger than 50. In this case the patient showed two risk elements for colon cancer. Initially she had symptoms consistent with colon cancer. Second she had a loved ones history. Simply because specific colon cancers can have a genetic component to them people who've a family members history of colon cancer are usually screened at a younger age than the common population. But in spite of this her physician insisted that she didn't have colon cancer with no ever conducting any testing. No matter if this physician did this due to her age or due to the considerably higher prevalence of hemorrhoids more than cancer of the colon may possibly in no way be identified. The result even so was the tragic death of the woman. This case will hopefully serve to educate doctors relating to the care supplied to people below comparable circumstances.
A 37-year-old woman tells her main care physician that she is noticing blood in her stools. The physician sends her residence using a kit for her to take samples of her school more than a three-day period. She returns the material that are examined and located to reveal the presence of occult blood within the stools. Regardless of the reality that this woman had previously informed the physician that her father had colon cancer the physician, as opposed to ordering a colonoscopy to figure out regardless of whether the source of the blood was from cancer, rather merely does an examination of the rectum. The physician located a tiny hemorrhoid and concluded that that was the reason for the blood within the stools.
More than the course of the subsequent 14 months the woman is observed by this physician additional than half a dozen times. Even though the woman had no extra complaints throughout this time she then reported once more seeing blood in her stool. Her symptoms now also included constipation and discomfort in her abdomen. As soon as once again nevertheless the physician merely examined her rectum. And needless to say the physician as soon as once more identified the hemorrhoid. And so when once again the physician assured her that her difficulties had been on account of the hemorrhoids.
Right after nine months and six much more visits the woman is now complaining not simply of discomfort but also diarrhea, cramping, and loose stool. This time the physician didn't even examine her rectum once more. The physician just stuck to the original diagnosis and as soon as once again told her that her difficulties had been all as a result of the hemorrhoid. When the woman returned two weeks later her main care physician was not present and also the physician who was covering identified no hemorrhoids but noted dark blood showing up on physical examination. This physician referred the woman for a colonoscopy. The outcomes of the colonoscopy and further testing revealed that she had cancer of the colon which had spread to her liver. She died inside two months.
The law firm that represented her family members, which includes her to young young children, was able to report a settlement of the resulting lawsuit inside the sum of $1.8 million. No doubt the had professionals who would have testified that below the circumstances the normal of care needed that the main care physician order a colonoscopy as soon as the woman began to report blood in her stools and that the cancer could have been treated successfully had she been diagnosed at that point.
An analysis of this case reveals particular concerns concerning the way doctors take into consideration colon cancer. There appear to be some doctors who continue to think that folks could be too young for colon cancer regardless of the truth that each year you'll find a particular number of people who're diagnosed with cancer of the colon at an age younger than 50. In this case the patient showed two risk elements for colon cancer. Initially she had symptoms consistent with colon cancer. Second she had a loved ones history. Simply because specific colon cancers can have a genetic component to them people who've a family members history of colon cancer are usually screened at a younger age than the common population. But in spite of this her physician insisted that she didn't have colon cancer with no ever conducting any testing. No matter if this physician did this due to her age or due to the considerably higher prevalence of hemorrhoids more than cancer of the colon may possibly in no way be identified. The result even so was the tragic death of the woman. This case will hopefully serve to educate doctors relating to the care supplied to people below comparable circumstances.
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