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Is Heavy Bleeding While Having Contrast CT Scan A Serious Cause For Concern?
Question: Hello, I am troubled by an event that happened following a recent hospital ER visit on Friday night. Is there anyone that might be able to give me a little peace to my dilema?
I was recently left alone in a hallway at 4.00am after a CT scan with contrast. The technician apparently failed to plug the IV line and clamp it, then wheeled me out to the vacant hallway for pickup. After drifting off into unconsciousness, I woke up dazed and soaking wet, I was covered in blood from the open IV, all over the bed and myself. Quite frightening. My question is, was I in any real danger? And was this technician negligent with his training? Regards, XXXXXXX
Regards, XXXXXXX
I was recently left alone in a hallway at 4.00am after a CT scan with contrast. The technician apparently failed to plug the IV line and clamp it, then wheeled me out to the vacant hallway for pickup. After drifting off into unconsciousness, I woke up dazed and soaking wet, I was covered in blood from the open IV, all over the bed and myself. Quite frightening. My question is, was I in any real danger? And was this technician negligent with his training? Regards, XXXXXXX
Regards, XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
You were not in real danger at any time
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.
I have read through your query in detail.
Having seen thousands of patients getting contrast CT done at hospitals where I have worked, the incident above did not put you in any real dancer but the technician should have been a more careful when plugging the IV line. I have had only once similar case in the last ten years and the IV got unplugged by itself (probably loose plugging) when doing the scan. We immediately stopped the scan and attended to the patient.
Sometimes what happens is that the IV line is loosely plugged and after some time the plug opens up causing little amount of bleeding. Change in patient position or shifting the patient from the couch can cause this unplugging.
In your case it is difficult to say with certainty what circumstances exactly led to unplugging of the IV line or if it was never plugged (which is unlikely).
In conclusion, there has not been any negligent training of the technician but a little bit of caution and vigilance might have prevented the incident.
Hope this answers your question. Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.
Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Dr.Vivek
You were not in real danger at any time
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXX,
Thanks for writing in to us.
I have read through your query in detail.
Having seen thousands of patients getting contrast CT done at hospitals where I have worked, the incident above did not put you in any real dancer but the technician should have been a more careful when plugging the IV line. I have had only once similar case in the last ten years and the IV got unplugged by itself (probably loose plugging) when doing the scan. We immediately stopped the scan and attended to the patient.
Sometimes what happens is that the IV line is loosely plugged and after some time the plug opens up causing little amount of bleeding. Change in patient position or shifting the patient from the couch can cause this unplugging.
In your case it is difficult to say with certainty what circumstances exactly led to unplugging of the IV line or if it was never plugged (which is unlikely).
In conclusion, there has not been any negligent training of the technician but a little bit of caution and vigilance might have prevented the incident.
Hope this answers your question. Please feel free to correct any oversight in my interpretation of your problems and discuss them in detail as per your requirements.
Hope your query is answered.
Do write back if you have any doubts.
Regards,
Dr.Vivek
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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