Woman dies while in-flight; Airline disputes relative's tale

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by EE-BO

It makes sense that a person in this medical condition died.

It does not make sense that a plane full of passengers and a trained crew failed to do all they reasonably could in the circumstances.

I agree^^^

I will be asking my FIL who is a cardiologist who would know these issues. But both my husband and I asking where is the insulin stick? Because she was more likely to have that issue vs. a outright myocardial infarction. I am not saying she did NOT have sudden cardiac arrest, but her issue was hyperglycemia and conduction is not as good through hyperosmolar blood. That may the reason why the AED did not deliver desired results... O2 would have been better after reviving. But hyperglycemia is nasty to what it does to blood.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

I will be asking my FIL who is a cardiologist who would know these issues.

Okeeey... My FIL said that apparently the woman had her own O2 tank. But the airlines like folks to use their tanks as a restriction. She possibly had a respiratory illness requiring O2. Because it is a ~10 hour flight, why she failed to request a full O2 tank is beyond comprehension. And because it is a high altitude flight (because of the distance), even under compression there is less O2 around and for someone to have a respiratory illness with reduced O2 bad combination and dangerous, overall.

Apparently in other news articles, they are saying that the Dr. (Sulkin) said that the first tank malfunctioned and was empty... What would be the reason why he would be wrong? (according to my FIL).

Essentially, as everyone can see she was obese and type 2 diabetic. It is likely she had Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). That with a respiratory illness with a medical requirement for O2, EVERYTIME THERE IS AN EMERGENCY O2 IS USED--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE!!! The reason is "RBC surface area" and loading it with O2... Lack of oxygenated blood that runs through the heart RAPIDLY causes cardiac dysfunction.

Defib would not work very well without O2 blood at high altitudes or hypoxic conditions...

That is how a board certified cardiologist calls it...

It is sad, but that is why the airline is saying 12 tanks. Improper procedures may be involved here, but the family may not get much support.

[EE-BO]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

I agree^^^

I will be asking my FIL who is a cardiologist who would know these issues. But both my husband and I asking where is the insulin stick? Because she was more likely to have that issue vs. a outright myocardial infarction. I am not saying she did NOT have sudden cardiac arrest, but her issue was hyperglycemia and conduction is not as good through hyperosmolar blood. That may the reason why the AED did not deliver desired results... O2 would have been better after reviving. But hyperglycemia is nasty to what it does to blood.

Please do post what you find out.

On the issue of the insulin stick- this raises a new question I would pose to you and others.

On insulin sticks- what if an airline had them in stock and then gave one to a person in an emergency and the person died of insulin shock or some other reaction?

I ask because it seems to me there is a whole other level of liability involved if a good samaritan administers a potential cure to someone that is beyond their own personal expertise to administer and the person suffering dies as a result of the attempted cure.

Or is there? I don't know.

It just seems to me that with a portion of the population having a potential reaction to insulin, any airline employee who administered it (or anyone who did so without an MD or RN and a knowledge of the patient history or how to deal with a bad reaction) would be open to additional liability.

My gut reaction is that the answer is kind of like the no-tolerance policy in many schools right now where administrators mitigate legal liability by not allowing any kind of situational judgement calls that could bring legal questions into play.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by EE-BO

Please do post what you find out.

On the issue of the insulin stick- this raises a new question I would pose to you and others.

On insulin sticks- what if an airline had them in stock and then gave one to a person in an emergency and the person died of insulin shock or some other reaction?

I ask because it seems to me there is a whole other level of liability involved if a good samaritan administers a potential cure to someone that is beyond their own personal expertise to administer and the person suffering dies as a result of the attempted cure.

Or is there? I don't know.

It just seems to me that with a portion of the population having a potential reaction to insulin, any airline employee who administered it (or anyone who did so without an MD or RN and a knowledge of the patient history or how to deal with a bad reaction) would be open to additional liability.

My gut reaction is that the answer is kind of like the no-tolerance policy in many schools right now where administrators mitigate legal liability by not allowing any kind of situational judgement calls that could bring legal questions into play.

Disclaimer: I believe insulin sticks are based on weight... At least with diabetic coma you can give glucose or sugar as fast as they can digest it... I did that with a mouse before when for some reason we added to much insulin on fasted animals and my mutant mouse which has a body fat problem pooped out on me but were not hyperphagic--or don't pig out.

According my FIL ANY physician who has passed the USMLE, did a residency and got boarded in an area should KNOW how to treat in an emergency... Maybe they cannot do a specific neurosurgery, but to administer simple drugs, give O2, take a pulse, draw blood, basic dressing--they should know... Some may not, but then they get filtered out of the scene... Chit, I can do some basic surgery, administer some drug through the skin (and tail veins ) and administer a drip--but I would NEVER do it to a person. Unethical.

Someone without official training did make the call on O2 administration to this passenger. She really did not have the MEDICAL EXPERTISE to refuse O2 even if her airline rules and training stated differently. SOP of ER services is to deliver O2... That's standard of care...

So now the airline has to consider how to be an ER? I dunno?

Good discussion!