Description of Event or Problem · 1
HAD MEDTRONIC INFUSION PUMP, SYNCHROMED II 8637-40 SERIAL # (B)(4), IMPLANTED, ON (B)(6) 2010. AT (B)(6) MEDICAL CENTER, (B)(6). BY (B)(6), M.D. NEURO-SURGEON W/O INCIDENT. APPROXIMATELY 10 DAYS LATER WENT TO HAVE N/S WITHDRAWN FROM PUMP, WAS STILL HAVING A LOT OF POST OP PAIN, WITH TENDERNESS AT SITE, WITH PAIN UPON PALPATION. DR. (B)(6) PUT OFF FILL, SPOKE WITH DR. (B)(6), HAD BLOOD CULTURES ORDERED, THAT WERE NEG. A FEW DAYS LATER WENT BACK AFTER BEING GIVEN A REFILL ON BREAKTHROUGH PAIN MEDS, DURING PUMP INJECTED, BLOOD WAS NOTED WHILE WITHDRAWING N/S FROM PUMP. WHEN MORPHINE WAS INJECTED INTO PUMP, WENT INTO S.C. TISSUE, BACK THE NEXT DAY, SENT TO SEE DR. (B)(6), WHERE OVER 30ML OF FLUID WAS DRAINED FROM POCKET. THAT WAS ON A FRIDAY, DR. (B)(6) WAS OUT OF TOWN, BUT REACHED BY CELL PHONE, TALKED WITH DR. (B)(6). NEXT MON. (B)(6), SECOND ATTEMPT APPEARED SUCCESSFUL. AREA REMAINS TENDER TO TOUCH WITH DISCOMFORT AT SITE, NO EXCESSIVE REDNESS OR EDEMA NOTED. HAVE BEEN ILL WITH FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS, CHEST PAIN, WEAKNESS, GROIN PAIN IN LEFT GROIN, N/V, DIARRHEA. SAW MY GI SPECIALIST ON PAST THURSDAY, GIVEN MEDICATION FOR DIARRHEA. NOT DUE FOR ROUTINE SCOPES UNTIL 2012. HE SEEMED TO THINK I MIGHT BE HAVING A FLARE UP OF MY COLITIS, BUT NOT SERIOUS. HAVE BEEN SICK SINCE THEN, WITH ABOVE SYMPTOMS. HAVE CALLED DR. (B)(6) OFFICE, AWAITING RETURN CALL. PLEASE NOTE I HAVE THE GREATEST RESPECT AND FAITH IN ALL OF THESE PHYSICIANS. DR. (B)(6), SAVED MY LIFE, IN (B)(6) 2009, BY REPLACING A CERVICAL VERTEBRAE THAT WAS PINCHING INTO MY SPINAL CORD. LEFT HOSPITAL NEXT MORNING W/O ANY PROBLEMS. CONTINUED TO SEE DR. (B)(6) FOR PAIN CONTROL, WHO HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL. HE IS ALSO IMPRESSIVE, WITH HIS MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE AND BEDSIDE MANNER. I HOLD NEITHER OF THESE PHYSICIANS RESPONSIBLE, THEY WORKED EXCEPTIONALLY HARD TO CONTROL THE INCIDENT. I FEEL, THAT MEDTRONIC, DID NOT STRESS THIS POSSIBILITY STRONGLY ENOUGH. I AM CONCERNED, AS I CONTINUE TO HAVE EPISODES OF ABOVE SYMPTOMS. I DON'T SEEM TO BE GETTING ADEQUATE PAIN CONTROL, BUT FEEL DR. (B)(6), IS WORKING HARD TO GET ME TO THE LEVEL OF CONTROL, I NEED. I STILL HAVE A COUPLE OF INCREASES IN PUMP MEDICATION, AND HE HAS ALLOWED ME TO STAY ON MY BREAKTHROUGH MEDS DURING THIS TIME. BUT SINCE I GOT ILL AGAIN LAST WEEK, AND IT SEEMS MY PAIN LEVEL HAS INCREASED, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THINGS ARE WORKING WELL. I APPRECIATE YOU NOTIFYING ME OF THIS PUMP PROBLEM, I AM A RETIRED NURSE OF TWENTY YEARS, AND AM VERY AWARE THAT INCIDENTS HAPPEN, I HAVE ONLY RESPECT FOR MY PHYSICIANS. THANK YOU, (B)(6). DATES OF USE: (B)(6) 2010 - (B)(6) 2011.