This week the settlement documents were released — closing the chapter on the lawsuit that arose from the seminal event in MRI safety, the 2001 oxygen tank fatality of then-six-year-old Michael Colombini.
Posts Tagged ‘medical’
Gurney Crashes MRI, Patient Injured, Hospital Fined $50K
Sunday, January 24th, 2010It is the stuff of fabled oral-histories, often dismissed as MRI urban-legend. The patient is wheeled into the MRI room on a gurney that goes flying toward the scanner. “How on Earth could these accidents happen when we know about these risks,” the skeptics question? Almost never does more than a single fragment of information surface about these sorts of accidents and, without verification, nearly all accounts can be erroneously written-off as fiction. Or, that was until enough pieces fell into place to conclusively document a recent episode… Click Here To Read More About MRI Gurney Accidents…
ECRI Top 10 Medical Technology Hazards Includes MRI Projectiles
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009Every year the ECRI Institute publishes their Top 10 health technology hazards, identifying the 10 most serious (and unintended) risks posed by our ever-increasing use of sophisticated medical devices to diagnose and treat patients. In November, the Institute released their 2010 watch list, which dedicated a Top 10 slot, and an entire page, to ferromagnetic projectiles in MRI.
FDA’s MAUDE Database Appears To Be Restored
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009For a couple of months, at least, the FDA’s MAUDE database wasn’t displaying all of the accident narratives online… This appears to have been fixed!
A number of the MRI accident reports, when the narratives weren’t appearing, were little more than the name and mailing address of the MRI manufacturer. Today, if you want to read about the MR Technologist who had a pair of scissors magnetically-impelled into his forehead, you can do so. So Click Here If You’re Curious…
5 MRI ‘Never Events’
Friday, September 18th, 2009For those unfamiliar with the term, a ‘never event’ is a label used to describe an adverse event that is wholly avoidable by simply following established best practices. For example, if you have an accurate count of the surgical instruments before and after surgery, there should never be an event where the patient leaves the OR with a sponge or clamp sewn up inside of them. A retained surgical instrument, or wrong-site surgery, or bed-sores, or patient mis-identification, or medication errors are all examples of ‘never events’.
Some insurance payers are beginning to refuse reimbursement for care that is necessitated by certain ‘never events’, and that list is likely to grow. And while they may not always result in patient injury, I’d like to propose my own list of 5 MRI ‘never events’ which should at least trigger an investigation…
The Supreme Court, MRI Accidents, And You…
Monday, March 16th, 2009Last year, the United States Supreme Court decided that medical device manufacturers that had gone through the trial-by-fire of a FDA pre-market review are immune from civil action in the state courts for product liability (Riegel v. Medtronic). Just a few weeks ago, the Court threw what many considered to be a major curve-ball when they decided that comparable protections do NOT apply to pharmaceutical manufacturers (Levine v. Wyeth). What does this suggest to MRI providers (Technologists, Radiologists and Administrators)?
MRI Truth Is Sometimes Stranger Than MRI Fiction
Friday, December 12th, 2008I have a serial weakness for medical dramas. I get sucked-in and watch for a couple of seasons before the absurdity catches up with me. With respect to MRI, it seems that 99% of the time the shows are so wildly off-base that it seems that each must outdo its own crazy scenarios (and those of the other medical dramas) to come up with a new MRI-related plot gimmick.
But then, typically after I’ve lost all hope of seeing anything that approaches reality, something plausible and even downright real is shown on one of these programs…
Is Siemens Medical ‘On Board’ With Ferromagnetic Detection?!?
Sunday, August 3rd, 2008MRI equipment vendor executives generally must be guarded about what they say to the media. We’ve all seen the cartoon depictions of the mini-angel and devil sitting on opposite shoulders of a person, lobbying for their own moral agenda. When I meet an executive from the MRI vendors, I imagine a very similar scene, only instead of angels and devils, I imagine a gaggle of attorneys advising the person as to what can and can’t be said, particularly in the realm of MRI safety.
So, it surprised me, more than a little, when I came across this gem…
“There must be metal detectors at the entrance to every room with a MRI device.”
Realizing that the speaker meant ferromagnetic detection, these words sound like ones that have passed my own lips, or those of noted MRI safety guru Dr. Emanuel Kanal. Imagine my surprise to learn that this statement was issued by none other than Walter Marzendorfer, CEO of Siemens’ MRI business unit.
The interview, which appears in the Israeli business publication ‘Globes’ [click here to go to the Globes interview], includes the statement about the magnetic field risks and the necessity of projectile detection to help mitigate the safety concerns.
“The main safety issue where MRI is involved is the fact that it is a magnet. Accidents happen when a doctor enters the MRI room with a scalpel in his pocket and bends over the patient. People forget. There must be metal detectors at the entrance to every room with a MRI device.”
–Walter Marzendorfer, CEO of Siemens’ MRI business unit
I believe that Siemens Medical worldwide views this statement with the same unequivocal eye with which I read it, and that ferromagnetic detection will be offered for Siemens MRI installations.
Stay tuned as the MRI vendor situation develops!
Tobias Gilk, President & MRI Safety Director Mednovus, Inc. Tobias.Gilk@Mednovus.com www.MEDNOVUS.com