LOS ANGELES (CN) - A faulty imaging interpretation and inappropriate treatment caused a massive brain bleed and a Kaiser member’s death, her family claims in their lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Harry Persaud, Sonika Persaud and Sharmila Bhawani sued Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Southern California Permanente Medical Group for wrongful death.

Matadai Persaud, plaintiffs’ wife/mother, was taken to Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center’s emergency department due to slurred speech. The emergency room doctors suspected a stroke. A tele-stroke neurologist was consulted by video conference, and the patient was put on TPA, or Tissue Plasminogen Activator, therapy. TPA is used to dissolve clots that cause many, but not all, strokes, and TPA has risks.

“Bleeding (hemorrhage), in the brain or in other parts of the body, is the most common risk that can occur. In 6 out of 100 patients, bleeding may occur into the brain and cause further injury. For 1 of these 6 patients it may cause death or long term serious disability,” the Stroke Association says of TPA use.

The plaintiffs claim the Kaiser doctors did not properly evaluate the CT (computerized tomography) scan and the tele-stroke neurologist did not review the available imaging before recommending TPA. 

“While at Kaiser Downey, physicians failed to properly interpret a CT scan that showed a completed ischemic stroke in decedent’s basal ganglia. Such a finding is a direct contravention to the administration of TPA. Additionally, the Kaiser tele-stroke neurologist negligently failed to review the available imaging and improperly recommended the administration of TPA in the face of an NIH stroke scale of 1. As a result of this negligence, Mrs. Persaud suffered a massive hemorrhage and died,” the suit states.

                          

The plaintiffs seek general and special damages in addition to legal costs. They are represented by Marshall Silberberg and William S. Collins of the Law Offices of Marshall Silberberg in Irvine, California.