Newborn in coma after accidently administered CO2 instead of O2...

[klone]

Can someone tell me the rationale behind why they would have CO2 available for use?

http://khon.com/khon/display.cfm?storyID=3817&sid=1152

Healthy newborn gassed into coma at Tripler

Ken Wilson

A healthy baby was given the wrong gas at birth, and now the 6-1/2 week old boy lies comatose in Tripler Hospital. It's meant heartbreak for a family of five awaiting a new member. Dad is in the Army and was home from Afghanistan for the birth.

Dwight and Shalay Peterson wanted a fourth child. After seven years of trying and more than one in-vitro procedure, she became pregnant.

Baby Izzy was born healthy at Tripler Hospital on Jan. 14, but one minute into his life, a nurse placed a mask over the baby's face to administer oxygen. At least it was supposed to be oxygen. It turned out to be carbon dioxide.

"I watched him deteriorate from the screaming and crying to a little less screaming," Dwight said. "The second time she pulled it off, and then she put it back on, and then I watched him deteriorate until it was done, until he was finished. There was no more movement. There was no crying. There was nothing."

Forty-two minutes went by before it was realized that a mistake was being made. The petersons say tripler officials have apologized and said the mistake won't happen again.

"I wouldn't want anybody else to go through what we went through," Shalay said. "But it's too late for my baby."

Izzy needs help to breath and will need 24-hour nursing care his entire life.

The Petersons have hired a lawyer and a claim has been made with the federal government.

[LydiaNN]

On a more personal note: What a horrible tragedy. I cannot imagine what this family could be going through--and will continue to go through for the rest of the child's life.

To say nothing of what the child will go through. What an unthinkable tragedy.

[babyktchr, BSN, RN]

Doesn't make sense to me either....CO2 in any area???? There are just too many questions here....poor parents...to have to watch it happen. Yikes

[klone, MSN, RN]

Doesn't make sense to me either....CO2 in any area????

Maybe used in the OR to help inflate cavities and certain organs?

I can't imagine why it would be in a regular old L&D suite, though.

Even if the supply company accidently filled the tank with CO2, I would still think the staff would be liable for not assessing the baby.

[jeepgirl, LPN, NP]

Maybe used in the OR to help inflate cavities and certain organs?

I can't imagine why it would be in a regular old L&D suite, though.

Even if the supply company accidently filled the tank with CO2, I would still think the staff would be liable for not assessing the baby.

But you would think that something else was going on becuase you were giving the baby O2!

this makes no sense. i have to say that i feel sorry for the nurse who received the baby.

[Mulan]

Maybe it wasn't a nurse. Maybe it was a corpsman or whatever they are called in the army, a medic?

[klone, MSN, RN]

Maybe it wasn't a nurse. Maybe it was a corpsman or whatever they are called in the army, a medic?

The article said "nurse" though.

a nurse placed a mask over the baby's face to administer oxygen. At least it was supposed to be oxygen. It turned out to be carbon dioxide.

[Twinkie1]

God bless that poor family and baby. In a room full medical personal no one noticed. I find that very questionable.

[kate930]

I gave birth at Tripler Army Medical Center in 1990. Sadly, everyone calls it Crippler.

Having had two other births at two other hospitals, I would say, without hesitation, the medical and nursing care was substandard, and I would never have another baby there. Nor would I go there for any other kind of treatment.

I have heard numerous horror stories over the years about Tripler (thankfully, none as bad as this one).

[kmchugh]

Maybe used in the OR to help inflate cavities and certain organs?

Exactly. CO2 is used in the OR to insufflate the abdomen for laparoscopic surgery. It is used because it does not promote combustion, the way O2 or room air would. However, it comes in a gray cannister, and supposedly O2 tank fittings cannot be attached to CO2 because of the pin index system. Either someone bypassed the pin index system and ignored tank color, or an O2 tank was filled with CO2. Either way, someone went out of their way to put CO2 in absolutely the wrong place.

Kevin McHugh

[Gompers, BSN, RN]

What the heck kind of third world hospital is this? Even in those hospitals, oxygen tanks are always green. If it was the company's fault for putting the wrong gas in the tank, then that's a different story. But whether the oxygen is supplied by tanks or through central wall outlets, it's always green.

I agree that if the baby was healthy and screaming, there really should be no need for supplemental oxygen, especially not face-mask delivery! The NRP program specifically teaches that only blow by should be used on a baby that is actively crying and breathing. If there is apnea or poor respiratory effort, then face-mask CPAP should be used for 30 seconds.

To me, it's both the fact that they used bag-mask ventilation on this kid PLUS the fact that it was the wrong gas. Two mistakes, and I don't blame them for contacting a lawyer.

[LydiaNN]

What the heck kind of third world hospital is this? Even in those hospitals, oxygen tanks are always green. If it was the company's fault for putting the wrong gas in the tank, then that's a different story. But whether the oxygen is supplied by tanks or through central wall outlets, it's always green.

I agree that if the baby was healthy and screaming, there really should be no need for supplemental oxygen, especially not face-mask delivery! The NRP program specifically teaches that only blow by should be used on a baby that is actively crying and breathing. If there is apnea or poor respiratory effort, then face-mask CPAP should be used for 30 seconds.

To me, it's both the fact that they used bag-mask ventilation on this kid PLUS the fact that it was the wrong gas. Two mistakes, and I don't blame them for contacting a lawyer.

I don't blame them either, and I hope the public doesn't look at the parents as though they're looking for the opportunity to turn a fast buck over this senseless tragedy. The cost of this child's care is likely to far surpass whatever settlement they are able to secure against the federal government, which is likely to claim immunity against the suit in the first place.

[FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I]

:angryfire I hope those parents sue that hospital up the ying yang! What a horrible thing to happen to a tiny new life that the parents waited so long for. It's tragic.