A new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine have indicated that the use of Sodium Phosphate enemas can be harmful and often fatal in the elderly.
Sodium Phosphate enemas are typically used for the relief of constipation. One medical center reported that of the eleven elderly patients who received the enemas, all reported acute renal failure and 5 patients died. That’s a mortality rate of almost 50%. The autopsy of one victim found phosphate deposition in the renal tubular lumens.
The enemas were all made by Fleet and all contained Sodium Phosphate Monohydrate and Dibasic Sodium Phosphate Heptahydrate. Whether these particular enemas were defective is a question that should be carefully investigated.
Sometimes even the seemly harmless medical devices can be fatal. If you have a loved one who has died suspiciously in an Illinois nursing home, you should contact an attorney who specializes in medical malpractice and wrongful death cases.
Investigating a case involving a defective medical device is an extremely complex matter. Many different parties may be involved. If the defective medical device was known to be defective, the hospital staff may be at fault. If the device itself was defective, the manufacturer may be to blame.
Determining who is liable for the injury or death of a loved one is part of what an experienced medical device attorney will help you determine.
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