Published
A St. Gallen family doctor was acquitted by the St. Gallen district court, although he did not recognize the signs of a thrombosis in a patient. The allegations of falsification of the protocol were also dropped.
A patient had seen her family doctor after falling down stairs. Despite several consultations, according to the indictment, he did not recognize the symptoms of a thrombosis.
imago images / Westend61
This despite the fact that the patient had several risk factors. The patient died of a pulmonary embolism one day after the last family doctor visit.
imago images / Eibner
A family doctor stood before the district court in St. Gallen because he did not recognize the signs of a thrombosis in a patient.
He also changed the medical protocol after the woman’s death.
Now he has been acquitted by the district court.
The medical reports relieved the family doctor.
The sudden death of a woman in July 2017 was dealt with on Tuesday before the district court in St. Gallen. The woman had seen her family doctor, a close family friend, because of a fall down the stairs, as it became clear in the court. In several consultations, the woman complained of pain in her left lower leg.
The very overweight woman showed some risk factors for thrombosis. Still, the doctor didn’t recognize the warning signs. One day after the last of seven consultations, the patient dies of a “fulminant” pulmonary embolism, as the indictment says.
Two reports relieve the doctor
The death of the woman affects the doctor. The patient’s father was a close friend of the doctor. The relationship has been strained since the woman’s death. “If my client had been able to prevent this fateful course at the end of June, beginning of July 2017 with his level of knowledge and his skills, then he would have done everything possible,” said his lawyer.
An initial report by the Forensic Medicine Institute in St. Gallen relieved the doctor. The report states that a fateful course of a deep vein thrombosis can be assumed. It is a natural death. The second report states that it was not documented whether there was an externally recognizable finding of a thrombosis in the leg. In addition, only about a quarter of all thromboses can be seen from the outside.
Defendant knew nothing about birth control pills
In addition, the patient never informed her doctor that she was taking birth control pills. According to the report, the treating gynecologist should have advised the woman against taking the pill, given the risk factors associated with her obesity.
From the point of view of the defense attorney, the allegation of forgery of documents could not be substantiated either. “The two reports clearly show that my client has not been accused of violating his duty of care,” said the defense attorney in court.
The judge based his judgment on this – the accused family doctor was fully acquitted of all allegations and the private complaints were referred to civil proceedings. The verdict is not yet legally binding.
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