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Case ref:201400064
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Date:November 2014
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Body:Highland NHS Board
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Sector:Health
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Outcome:Not upheld, no recommendations
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Subject:clinical treatment / diagnosis
Summary
Ms C complained that the board failed to diagnose a large volume of fluid on her lungs when she was treated in hospital in Scotland. She said that when she was treated later in another country a large amount of fluid was drained from her lungs.
We obtained independent advice on this case from one of our medical advisers. Our adviser explained that the records showed that the board did diagnose fluid on the lungs but that it was a small amount. Having looked at Ms C's chest
x-rays our adviser said that this was the correct description and there was no evidence of the litres of bloody fluid that Ms C told us she had drained later. The adviser said the difference might have been due to progression of her condition over a period of time, which is not uncommon. Based on the advice received, we were satisfied that the board's care and treatment of Ms C was reasonable.