You’re in the hospital after the worst stomach bug of your life. You have hyponatremia (too little sodium in the blood), thanks to excessive vomiting and diarrhea. You want to feel better ASAP! But correcting hyponatremia too fast is the last thing doctors should do. That can cause a devastating disorder called osmotic demyelination syndrome.
Keep reading to understand what this syndrome is and how it occurs. We’ll also explain what your legal options are when a doctor’s negligence causes ODS.
What is Osmotic Demyelination Syndrome?
Osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS) is a neurological disorder involving destruction or damage to the myelin sheath. The myelin sheath is a protective covering of nerve fibers in the central nervous system.
Usually, ODS affects the pons, an important part of the brainstem. But it can also occur in other areas of the brain.
ODS is very similar to another neurological disorder called central pontine myelinolysis (CPM). You might even hear the two terms used interchangeably. Both involve severe damage to the myelin sheath of nerve cells in the brainstem. But there is a slight difference between ODS and CPM:
- With CPM, the damage occurs in the pons area of the brainstem. The pons is a critical brainstem structure responsible for a wide range of essential functions, such as breathing and motor functions.
- With ODS, the damage can also happen outside the pons.
How Does ODS Occur?
ODS is most commonly associated with rapid changes in serum sodium levels. One way this can happen is when doctors correct hyponatremia (low blood sodium levels) too quickly.
Correcting hyponatremia too fast causes a rapid shift of water into brain cells. This sudden change in osmolarity (concentration of solute particles) can lead to damage to the myelin sheath and result in neurological symptoms.
Symptoms of osmotic demyelination syndrome can vary but often include:
- Confusion
- Difficulty speaking and swallowing
- Weakness or paralysis, typically affecting the limbs
- Muscle stiffness or spasms
- Hallucinations
- Delirium
- Loss of coordination
- Coma (in severe cases)
The prognosis of ODS varies depending on the severity and promptness of treatment. Some people make a partial or complete recovery. But others have long-term neurological deficits, or even pass away from this disorder.
Filing a Hyponatremia Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
When a patient is diagnosed with hyponatremia, doctors must raise the sodium levels until they’re back to normal. To do this, they administer saline solution through an IV. But it must be done at a snail’s pace. Otherwise, a dramatic spike in sodium could cause osmotic demyelination syndrome.
Hyponatremia isn’t difficult to treat. So there’s no reason for a patient to end up with ODS–unless a health care worker fails to follow protocol. This protocol says that doctors should increase the sodium levels by four to six points in a 24-hour period. They shouldn’t increase it by more than eight points in 24 hours.
Mismanagement of hyponatremia is negligence. If this negligence causes osmotic demyelination syndrome, a patient (or their family) can file a medical malpractice lawsuit.
How do I know I’m eligible to file a medical malpractice lawsuit?
This is what most states require in order to file a medical malpractice lawsuit:
- You must prove the health care provider was responsible for your care (or your family member’s care) when the injury happened. This is called “duty of care”.
- You must show evidence that the health care provider breached the duty of care. You must prove they were negligent, either by action or inaction.
- It’s not enough to just prove that your healthcare provider was negligent. You also have to show that their negligence caused injury.
Steps to Filing an Osmotic Demyelination Syndrome Lawsuit
We’ll begin by saying that suing a doctor for something like correcting hyponatremia too fast isn’t necessarily easy. But the ride is much smoother when a knowledgeable medical malpractice lawyer takes the wheel.
In general, here’s what the process looks like:
- Initial Consultation: You’ll share your story with one of our certified medical malpractice lawyers. (Learn more about scheduling a free consultation here).
- Evaluation: The next step is to study your case details to find out what went wrong, and why. Our medical director (a full-time MD) handles this process, ensuring no detail is left uncovered.
- Building Your Case: Next, we’ll bring in medical specialists and gain their expert opinions as we build your claim.
- Filing the Suit: We’ll file an osmotic demyelination syndrome lawsuit on your behalf. You will owe no fees unless we recover compensation.
- Accept a Settlement or Go to Trial: The defending party may offer you a settlement. We’ll help guide you on whether it’s in your best interest to accept. If for any reason you don’t accept, or no settlement is offered, the case will likely go to trial.
- Damages: You may recover damages to pay for treatment, as well as to compensate for pain and suffering.
If you suspect negligence was involved in your osmotic demyelination syndrome diagnosis, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re ready to use our 60 years of combined experience to gain justice on your behalf.
Osmotic Demyelination Syndrome FAQs
Studies show that some people do make a complete recovery from osmotic demyelination syndrome. Some people experience significant improvement in symptoms. But others have severe, persistent neurological damage. The extent of a person’s recovery depends on factors such as:
how severe the initial damage was, how quickly doctors correct sodium levels, and how the person responds to treatment.
Osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS) can cause permanent damage to the brain. Rehabilitation and supportive care can help. But for people with severe cases of ODS, the condition almost always leads to long-term effects.
The main way doctors diagnose ODS is with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. However, they may also use a combination of clinical assessments and imaging studies. For example, they may conduct blood tests to measure serum sodium levels and assess other electrolyte imbalances. They will also consider the patient’s medical history.
The most common cause of osmotic demyelination syndrome is rapid changes in sodium levels in the body. When there’s a sudden shift in this balance, like a quick correction of low sodium levels, it can stress the cells in our brain, especially in one part called the pons. This stress can damage the protective covering of nerve cells, called myelin, resulting in ODS.
The rapid changes in sodium levels often happen during medical treatments. For example, when doctors correct low sodium too quickly. Also, it can happen to people who have health conditions that affect their ability to regulate sodium.
Osmotic demyelination syndrome can be fatal. This may happen in the most severe cases, where ODS leads to a coma, and sometimes death. The risk of fatality is often higher when a person has underlying medical conditions. But fatalities are rare. Studies show that 94% of people survive ODS.
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