Lawsuit Alleges Medication Error During Surgery
A 36-year-old woman has filed a negligence lawsuit in the Northern Territory Supreme Court against the NT government, relating to an alleged medication error during a scheduled surgery in March 2022. The government has admitted a breach of duty of care occurred but disputes key aspects of the plaintiff's claims regarding the dosage and specific injuries. The case is scheduled for a court hearing on May 18.
Case Overview
Kimberley Gleed filed the lawsuit following an incident at Palmerston Regional Hospital on March 9, 2022. According to court documents, Ms. Gleed was admitted for surgery to remove a benign tumor from her wrist.
Alleged Incident and Medical Consequences
Documents state that during preparation for anesthesia, a doctor intended to administer the anti-nausea drug ondansetron but instead administered 10 milligrams of metaraminol, a medication used to treat low blood pressure (hypotension).
Ms. Gleed's statement of claim asserts she was not hypotensive at the time. She states that metaraminol should be administered in small incremental doses, with a maximum of 1 milligram at a time, and that the 10-milligram dose constituted a "toxic dose."
Following the administration, Ms. Gleed's heart rate reportedly fell to approximately 25 beats per minute and her blood pressure increased. She subsequently developed acute pulmonary edema, a condition involving fluid in the lungs.
She was transferred to the emergency room, placed in an induced coma, and later moved to the intensive care unit at Royal Darwin Hospital. Medical staff diagnosed her with "severe left ventricular dysfunction in the context of high dose metaraminol." She was discharged from the ICU after two days and remained as an outpatient for a further two days.
In her claim, Ms. Gleed states the incident resulted in:
- Hypoxic brain injury
- Post-ICU syndrome
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Cognitive impairment
- Depression
She is seeking compensation for medical expenses, costs of ongoing care, and loss of earnings.
Legal Positions and Admissions
Plaintiff's Claim:
The statement of claim argues the doctor owed a duty to exercise reasonable care, consistent with the standard of a reasonably competent medical practitioner administering anesthesia.
Government's Response:
In its defense filing, the Northern Territory government has made several admissions and statements:
- It admits a breach of its duty of care occurred when the doctor administered metaraminol in error.
- It admits Ms. Gleed "suffered injury, loss and damage" as a result of this negligence.
Disputed Points:
- The government disputes that 10 milligrams of metaraminol amounted to a "toxic dose," stating the drug is intended for use in small doses for the short-term management of acute hypotension.
- The government does not admit to the specific injuries and damages as claimed by Ms. Gleed.
Next Steps
The matter is scheduled to return to the Northern Territory Supreme Court on May 18 for further proceedings.
Note: Several source articles referenced a separate, unrelated legal action by Mia Pilbrow against a Northern Territory hospital concerning pre-term labor guidelines. That case is not connected to the lawsuit filed by Kimberley Gleed.