Gentamicin Toxicity Claims

Microbiology advice should usually be obtained for recurrent or long-term gentamicin treatment to ensure that it is the best antibiotic for the patient at that time. Patients with pre-existing health issues such as kidney disease or hearing problems should not usually be treated with gentamicin. 

The correct dose of gentamicin must be calculated and administered with particular care. The dose should be calculated according to the patient’s age, weight and height. 

A patient must be carefully monitored whilst receiving gentamicin treatment. Gentamicin is not broken down by the body, meaning that it is excreted via the renal system. It is imperative that blood tests be carried out to measure the amount of gentamicin in the body and subsequent doses should be altered or omitted if the gentamicin level is too high. Hearing and kidney function should be carefully monitored throughout the treatment. 

Elevated gentamicin levels over a prolonged period of time can cause gentamicin toxicity (also known as gentamicin poisoning) which can cause nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity. Nephrotoxicity is damage to the kidneys which reduces the ability to excrete urine and waste products. Ototoxicity is damage to the inner ear which causes difficulties with hearing and balance. 

Some patients are genetically predisposed to an increased risk of developing these issues even if gentamicin is used correctly, but the vast majority of claims relate to instances where there were breaches of duty of care in how gentamicin was prescribed and administered.

The impact of gentamicin toxicity is usually life changing. The symptoms of gentamicin toxicity include slurred speech, loss of coordination/balance, blurred vision, hearing problems and oscillopsia. Patients are often unable to drive or work, require changes to their home and aids and equipment, and need care and assistance to help them with their day to day lives. 

Given the potentially devastating impact of gentamicin toxicity, it is particularly important that a patient is given material information on the risks and benefits of the treatment, including any reasonable alternative options, before gentamicin treatment commences. If a patient can prove that they did not provide informed consent to the treatment, and that they would not have provided consent for the treatment if they had been properly advised, they may be able to bring a claim for compensation for the injury and loss that they have suffered as a result. 

The specialist medical negligence team at O’Donnell Solicitors has extensive experience of advising clients who have suffered avoidable gentamicin toxicity with past cases involving the following issues:

1. Prescribing and administering gentamicin to a patient with impaired renal function.
2. Prescribing and administering gentamicin to a patient with pre-existing balance issues.
3. Administering multiple overdoses of gentamicin. 
4. Failing to appropriately monitor gentamicin levels in the blood and to act on results indicating that levels were too high. 
5. Failing to stop gentamicin treatment despite the patient developing symptoms of early gentamicin toxicity.

Gentamicin negligence claims require a careful analysis of medical records to consider the following issues:

1. Was gentamicin a reasonable choice of antibiotic in the circumstances?
2. Was all material information provided to enable informed consent to be given to the administration of gentamicin?
3. Was the dose calculated correctly?
4. Was the gentamicin administered correctly?
5. Were gentamicin serum levels monitored correctly?
6. What adverse effects have been caused by the gentamicin treatment and when did they develop?