Toshiba America Medical Systems and a Washington hospital have settled a $13 million malpractice suit brought against them by a family whose daughter was severely brain damaged because of a miscalculated ultrasound exam, they claimed.
The mother, Tamara Porter, was diagnosed with gestational diabetes in 1997 when she was pregnant. During a routine ultrasound exam, the sonographer incorrectly calculated the baby’s weight at 7 lbs. At the time of birth, the baby’s weight was determined to be 11 lbs. and an emergency C-section was required. After delivery, Chelsea Porter, now 4, was clinically dead for 10 minutes before the doctors revived her, according to an article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Along with Toshiba, which is based in Tustin, CA, and Stevens Hospital in Edmonds, the Stevens Radiologists group was named in the suit, which was filed in September 2001. The suit alleged that a sonographer entered incorrect information into the scanner and neglected to re-check her work. Hospital officials in turn blamed faulty software on the ultrasound equipment; Toshiba argued that the ultrasound technician was not properly trained by the hospital.
Fred Friedberg, senior vice president and general counsel for Toshiba, told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer that "we don't think there's any defect or problem with the equipment at all." He added that Stevens Hospital was still using the equipment up until the lawsuit was filed, according to the newspaper.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writers
February 4, 2002
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