Gastroenterology Expert Discusses Delayed Treatment of Suspected Bowel Obstruction

This case involves an elderly female who had been a resident in a nursing home for several months before the events of the incident in question. The patient had recently become bedridden due to an unrelated illness, and it was the responsibility of nursing staff to monitor the patient. Despite this, the patient was left unattended for almost two weeks, during which time she only had one bowel movement. Eventually, the patient was discovered by nursing home staff and was brought to the emergency room. While in the hospital, doctors noted that the patient was suffering from pressure ulcers, acute respiratory insufficiency, septic shock, and gastroparesis.