Patient died of carbon dioxide poisoning

Region Västernorrland reports an incident where an elderly patient with multiple illnesses died of carbon dioxide poisoning to the Inspectorate for Care and Care (Ivo) according to lex Maria, the region announces.

The elderly patient was treated in the spring of 2022 at the hospital in Örnsköldsvik for a rib fracture and dizziness after a fall at home. As the patient had failing respiratory function and difficulties in expelling carbon dioxide from the blood, oxygen therapy was prescribed.

After a few days of care, it was discovered one morning that the patient was difficult to wake up. X-ray examination of the brain was carried out during the day without remark. Only late in the afternoon were the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood checked, which then showed that the patient had developed carbon dioxide poisoning.

Measures were put in place to reverse the course, but shortly afterwards the patient died.

The investigation carried out on behalf of the operations manager shows shortcomings in the handling as the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood should have been checked already in the morning when the patient had lost consciousness.