Woman says doctor sprayed her with drain-cleaning chemical

On Behalf of | Nov 13, 2013 | Doctor Errors

As we have described on our blog, doctors in New Mexico can make all kinds of mistakes while carrying out their duties that can have negative effects on their patients. Whether it’s operating on the wrong body part, misinterpreting medical records or prescribing the incorrect medication, any number of things can go wrong when physicians and patients interact. 

It might be fair to say that one of the things that people would never think could happen to them at a doctor’s office is that the doctor grabs a spray bottle that is mislabeled and squirts a harmful chemical on them — but that is exactly what one woman is claiming her gynecologist made.

The woman was undergoing a colposcopy, a type of gynecological exam that requires the use of an acetic acid — a common type of which is vinegar. The doctor says he used a spray bottle that was labeled “vinegar.” However, it was not vinegar at all, according to the lawsuit. The woman said the solution inside the bottle contained potassium hydroxide — a chemical found in drain cleaner.

The patient described the pain akin to when rubbing alcohol is poured on a cut. She also said she may have sustained permanent damage and could need a hysterectomy. She is asking for damages and a jury trial.

This alleged doctor error is particularly egregious; however, not all medical mistakes are so clear-cut. If New Mexico residents think they have been the victims of medical malpractice, they can speak with an experienced attorney.

Source: USA Today, “Doctor mistakes drain cleaner for vinegar, suit says,” Tom Meyer, Nov. 12, 2013

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