12-year-old boy dies after breaking his ankle during football and family accuses hospitals of negligence: 'pain and anger'

A 12-year-old boy died as a result of a broken ankle suffered during a football match in Guarujá, on the coast of São Paulo. Arthur Barros da Silva’s family accuses the hospitals where the young man was treated of medical negligence. The cause of death, according to the death certificate, was: acute respiratory failure, pulmonary thromboembolism and fracture of the right leg.

“Feeling of pain and anger”, said the young man’s aunt, Fabiana Barros Santana, 37, to g1 this Monday (11). The city hall reported that an administrative process was opened to investigate the case.

She reported that her nephew injured his leg during a physical education class and, as the boy continued to have pain after two days, he was taken to the Road Emergency Care Unit (UPA). There, according to Fabiana, he would not have received the correct diagnosis.

“The UPA released my nephew, warning that he did not have a fracture, that it was a simple dislocation”, said Fabiana. She said Arthur was allowed to return home with a doctor’s prescription indicating pain-relieving medication.

Still feeling pain and with a swollen ankle, the boy was taken back to the UPA. At the unit, the aunt told g1 that she had asked him to be transferred to Hospital Santo Amaro (HSA) to be evaluated by an orthopedic doctor.

The request was granted and at HSA the patient underwent an X-ray examination which found a fracture of the distal tibia [osso próximo ao tornozelo] of the right leg. The medical team immobilized Arthur’s limb, which was treated and released.

Pain and evaluation with a vascular doctor

According to Fabiana, two days later Arthur continued to have severe pain and was referred to the Enseada UPA, which transferred him back to the HSA. He was admitted to the hospital for evaluation by a vascular doctor.

“As the morning went on, he was already feeling ill and I asked the doctor to come up to evaluate him, but she said she wouldn’t go because he was already more than medicated. The doctor didn’t come up and, on the morning of the next day, [27 de novembro]my nephew died”, lamented the aunt.

Pulmonary embolism in children

To g1, pediatrician and pediatric rheumatologist Heloiza Ventura explained that pulmonary embolism is much rarer in children than in adults.

“We say pulmonary embolism when it is the obstruction of the branches of the pulmonary arteries. So, that child starts with fatigue, with dyspnea, until he actually goes into cardiorespiratory arrest,” she stated.

The specialist explained that the condition is rare in young people, as comorbidities usually appear in adulthood. “But we always have to observe some risk factors,” she said, mentioning that some traumas favor neoplasms, heart disease and can promote pulmonary thromboembolism.

Fractures, like Arthur’s, can increase the chance of thromboembolism, as well as autoimmune diseases and surgeries. However, diagnosis can be difficult due to the fact that the condition is rare in children and the specific tests required.

“It’s a serious disease that can lead to death quickly and we use heparin to try to reduce that thrombus and improve the child’s breathing,” he said.

Justice

Fabiana registered a police report for suspicious death at the Guarujá Headquarters Police Station and sought legal assistance from lawyer Airton Sinto, as, according to her, there was medical negligence.

She mainly cited the care at the UPA at the Bus Station, which did not identify the fracture, and the HSA doctor refused to treat him when he was in pain.

To g1, the lawyer explained that he is evaluating the case to take legal action. “The case shows clear signs of medical negligence, negligence of care, of attention to what happened,” he said about the wrong diagnosis at the UPA and the lack of attention from the doctor at the HSA.

“We are investigating the situation […]. The standard that should have been adopted and was not, and what is the causal link between this negligence and the death of this child”, explained Sinto.

According to him, initially the defense will evaluate the documentation and contact the competent bodies so that clarifications can be provided to the family. The lawyer will then adopt the appropriate measures, including in the area of criminal liability.

Answers

In a statement, Guarujá City Hall informed that it deeply regrets the young man’s death and “pays condolences to his family”. According to the municipal administration, the patient was promptly treated and treated in health units.

“Due to the fracture, he was taken to Santo Amaro Hospital twice. However, an administrative process was opened for investigation,” he stated.

Santo Amaro Hospital said that there is a formal complaint filed with the unit’s Ombudsman’s Office regarding the aforementioned doctor. “It is important to highlight that there are no complaints regarding the service provided by Hospital Santo Amaro”, he informed.

“In relation to the event, the process begins with the case being sent to the Death Commission for analysis, with the complaint registered in the ombudsman sector attached. The result is awaited and, in accordance with the recommendations of this committee, the case will be sent to the Ethics Committee for appropriate action. These are appropriate commissions to investigate the event”, concludes the text.