Despite Dixson’s age, 90, doctors felt he was healthy enough to undergo surgery the next day to be fit with a prosthetic bone, said his son, Julius Jr. Beforehand, a hospital staffer removed Dixson’s dentures, the son said. But after the surgery, the dentures could not be found.The next 13 days were a nightmare, as the hospital staff gave Dixson “food that you need to . . . to chew,” Julius Jr. said.
He said he told staffers that his father was losing weight and that he was dehydrated. But nurses and Dixson’s surgeon, Dr. O. Alton Barron, downplayed the concerns, Julius Jr. recalled.
Nine days after the surgery, a worried Dixson told him, “‘If I die in here, you go after them,’” Julius Jr. recounted.
(via Dr. RW)
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{ 6 comments }
Sounds like a lawsuit is justified in this case. Talk about a senseless death.
TPN is not a terribly big deal. Why didn’t they do it sooner? Err on the side of caution, or at least see if any of his food was being eaten?
The mind boggles.
“A spokesman said St. Luke’s “extends its deepest condolences to the Dixson family.” Barron’s lawyer, Jeffrey Cohen, said the doctor’s treatment of Dixson “was completely appropriate.”"
I wonder if he’d appreciate the same “completely appropriate” treatment?
Get a clue. DON’T operate folks whose time is nigh. Let them die natural deaths as God intended. TPN is not the answer, just a waste of taxpayer dollars.
anon 8:13, how was this man’s time nigh? As near as we can tell he would have gone on with life he hadn’t been starved to death.
Maybe this state has tort reform, and defensive medicine procedures like checking to see if he was starving have been eliminated.
“how was this man’s time nigh?”
Answer: He was nigh-nty years old.
I had hand surgery performed by Dr. O. Alton Barron at the C.V. Starr Hand Surgery Center at the end of November 2007 when I was almost 62 years old, and I am extremely happy with the result. Dr. Barron is honest, caring, kind, and generous.
I received excellent care at St.Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital. I was also given a container with fluid for my contact lenses and a locker where I stored my clothes, shoes, hand bag, the contact lense container, etc. Therefore, I do not understand how the dentures got lost. At his age, I am sure a friend or a relative came with him to help him undress and wear the hospital gowns and store his dentures, etc. in the locker.
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