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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Horrific Sepsis Case Described in Oregon

(CN) - A woman who miscarried, lost the ability to ever have a child, and suffered several amputations says in court that negligent doctors and midwives are to blame.

Amaia Rennie says she was displaying signs of sepsis while she was pregnant in December 2011. The illness occurs when the body has a severe response to bacteria or other germs anywhere in the body, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

"As a result of defendants negligence plaintiff suffered sepsis that required bilateral below the knee amputation and amputation of part of nine of her fingers, has greatly decreased kidney function and had dialysis and potentially has other organ damage and no longer can have a baby," according to her complaint in Multnomah County Circuit Court.

Rennie says she called Womens Healthcare Center and spoke to nurse midwife Jabke Buesseler about her symptoms: "a sudden loss of fluid when standing up ... flu-like symptoms with chills, achy and no cramping."

The staff allegedly took little action, however, telling Rennie to lie down, take her temperature and to go to the hospital if there was additional fluid loss or cramping. The next day another midwife, Jody Lindwall, told Rennie that she had most likely ruptured her membranes and that her unborn child would probably not survive, according to the complaint.

Rennie says she was told to go home and discuss her options with her husband. Later that evening her husband took her to the delivery room at Providence Health & Services - Oregon dba Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, according to the complaint.

Rennie learned that the fetus had died, and the hospital allegedly induced labor and moved her to the intensive care unit.

She says that her injuries were caused by the negligence of the Womens Health Care, Providence St. Vincent, Buesseler, Lindwall and and Dr. Shirley Fox.

She and her husband seek $77.1 million. They are represented by Jane Paulson of Paulson Coletti PC of Portland.

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