Transient Ischemic Attack Case Study

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Pages: 3

This complaint centers on the treatment of an 88-year-old woman who underwent a CT scan to locate a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). The scan revealed a mass in the woman’s lung that troubled her treatment team. It was decided that a needle biopsy should be done to investigate the possibly malignant mass despite her poor health and multiple co-morbidities. The patient’s son was called, as he was responsible for making her treatment decisions. Without a great deal of discussion Mr. Manger, the patient’s son, agreed to the treatment plan after which he visited his mother to discuss the new findings and upcoming procedure. The patient, who already suffers from emphysema that requires 3 liters of oxygen per day, strongly objected to the proposed procedure. In addition to the emphysema, the patient suffers from heart disease, frequent TIAs, circulation problems and other age related ailments. The procedure would be especially risky for her because of the risk of lung puncture and it could be considered unnecessary, as she would be too frail to tolerate treatment should a malignancy be found. …show more content…
Mr. Minger, the patients’ medical guardian, reported having only a brief conversation about the procedure before signing off on it and going to visiting his mother. Upon discussing the treatment with his mother, who was opposed to the surgery, Mr. Minger came to believe she raised valid concerns. If the procedure was performed, the complainant may also have cause to make a negligence claim against the treating physicians, as the procedure could be deemed medically unnecessary in this particular