Ten years after the death of a patient in the emergency room of the Marmande hospital center (Lot-et-Garonne), a radiologist and an emergency doctor appeared in court on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. They are being prosecuted for “manslaughter” after the death of a 31-year-old young man from Targon (Gironde), reports Southwest . He had been admitted for a simple broken nose after a fall while cycling.
The radiologist omits a decisive detail
The father arrived at the emergency room around 8 p.m. and the scan taken by the replacement radiologist showed nothing abnormal. But after the departure of the practitioner, the Girondin’s condition deteriorated significantly. The man had difficulty swallowing and breathing. After several alerts from the emergency doctor, the radiologist agreed to come back around midnight.
And for good reason, the practitioner had just understood that he had omitted an important detail present in the first photos: a thickening of the epiglottis. The patient therefore needed an emergency mini-tracheotomy, which was not finally undertaken until 1:20 a.m. The emergency doctor actually looked for another doctor for almost an hour and a half to carry out this procedure while he could have practiced it himself.
They admit no fault
Clearing the airway was attempted too late and the 30-year-old did not survive. On the stand, the two defendants admitted no fault. “For me, he was not in respiratory distress. I still don’t understand the causes of death”declared the emergency physician, quoted by our colleagues. “Even today, we are in the fog. They stick to nebulous explanations. […] This is unacceptable”said the victim’s father.
The two doctors were not suspended after the incident and are still practicing. The public prosecutor requested a 14-month suspended prison sentence and a €15,000 fine for the radiologist, 18 months in prison and a €15,000 fine for the emergency doctor. The deliberation is expected for December 10.
To find out more: read the article by Southwest .
Belgium
