Man had his arms and legs amputated after routine operation took life-threatening turn
A man has had all four of his arms and legs amputated after a routine operation to treat a common condition took a life-threatening turn.
Chad Gerlaugh, from outside Tampa, Florida, has been wheelchair bound following a car accident in 1998.
He had spinal damage and limited motion in his arms, and due to needing a catheter after the crash, Chad frequently suffered from kidney stones, reports the Tampa Bay Times.
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Despite this, he maintained his independence and modified a car so he could work his job as a technical support worker and go out hunting with his family with modified tools.
However, one routine surgery in April 2019 to have the stones removed went terribly wrong and saw Chad leave the hospital 23 days later without his arms or legs.
Complications started when Chad was recovering from the operation, during which his blood pressure dropped dramatically and his heart even stopped for seven minutes, reports the Daily Mail.
He also developed a fever and went into cardiac arrest, court documents revealed.
Doctors determined he had contracted an infection after surgery, sepsis, which is a life-threatening condition that shuts down vital organs.
Chad was put on medication, vasopressor drugs that treats low blood pressure, but his limbs turned black and started to die.
Eventually, medics had no choice but to amputate both his legs above the knee, his left arm above the elbow towards his bicep and his right arm around his forearm to save his life.
In 2021, Chad filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the nonprofit, Morton Plant and BayCare, that runs the hospital.
His attorneys said it is unlikely he has enough limbs to support prosthetics.
As a result, Chad reportedly claimed he has had to ask his family for help for everything spanning bathroom trips and washing to scratching an itch.
He said: "My life is never going to be the same. I gotta ask for help. For everything."
Attorney Steve Yerrid said the hospital failed to recognize Chad's sepsis and had delayed the appropriate treatment that could have saved his limbs.
Yerrid said: "I hope to give this young man some accountability because it’s been years and this hospital needs to be held responsible. You go in for kidney stones and you come out without legs and arms? Give me a break.”
The legal action also claimed the vasopressor drugs, which Chad was put on for several days, contributed to the necrosis of Chad's limbs, adding: "The longer the vasopressors are used, the more likely you’re going to lose a lot."
The case has since been settled out of court and although the sum is confidential, typical settlements for amputations per limb in Florida can range from $200,000 to $2 million.
BayCare officials said in a statement to Tampa Bay Times that Morton Plant Hospital is committed to 'maintaining the highest standards of patient care possible.'
“Our team makes patient safety a top priority and has carefully reviewed this patient’s journey to find any opportunities to learn from his experience,” the statement continued.
His mom, Joy Gerlaugh, said her son was 'so independent' before the incident but now is completely reliant on his family.
Now, she said: “We can’t leave him; we can’t afford a nurse. So my husband and I just get through it the best way we can because we’re a family.”
UNILAD has contacted the Morton Plant Hospital of BayCare for further comment.
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