Phenergan Lawsuit
Diana Levine was given the medications Demerol and Phenergan via IV push to treat her migraine headache. However, the nurse administering the treatment missed the vein in her arm. As a result, Diana Levine’s arm turned purple then black and was amputated within a couple of weeks. Subsequently, Ms. Levine filed a lawsuit claiming that the FDA should have contained stronger warnings with regard to the risk of promethazine injections. Phenergan, or promethazine, is an antihistamine that is used to treat motion sickness, nausea, allergic reactions, migraines, and as a sedative.
Phenergan and Amputation
In September 2009, the FDA issued a black box warning for promethazine injections. As in Ms. Levine’s case, when promethazine injection is administered incorrectly there is a risk of severe tissue injury. The injection should not be administered into an artery or under the skin due to this risk of tissue damage, which could be as severe as gangrene or death of tissue. Once a patient contracts gangrene, amputation of the affected area is highly likely. Another risk associated with promethazine injection is that the drug can leak out from the vein during IV administration and cause severe damage to surrounding tissue.
Contact the Injury Attorneys at Pintas Law Firm
If you or someone you know has had an amputation that may be related to a faulty injection of promethazine, contact the Pintas firm immediately. Our Chicago law firm will provide you with a free consultation and an explanation of your legal rights.