Leg Amputee Blames Heparin

Pearlington, MSLast July John had two knee replacement surgeries in one week. After the second surgery, the doctors told him that something was wrong: an antibody in his blood had reacted with the blood thinner, heparin, he was given. In the next 30 days John had six more surgeries, the last of which ended in the amputation of his leg just above the knee.

"A few days after my second knee replacement, I started walking around the hospital hallways but I had a pain in my left foot," John explains. "The next day it got much worse, even with all the morphine I was given. The doctor put my on an even stronger painkiller cocktail.

"Then I was transferred to another hospital where they scheduled me for another surgery: I had lost the pulse in my foot. They amputated my foot—apparently I was a 'super clotter'-- but why didn't this problem with heparin happen before? I had surgery five years previously and was given heparin. And I recovered immediately after the first knee replacement.

"But after my left knee replacement, everything went to hell. After my foot was amputated, they inserted a brace in yet another surgery between my lower leg bones. Apparently they had a little vacuum machine that removes coagulated blood but that didn't work either so I was scheduled for surgery again to remove my lower leg. That didn't work either so my leg was amputated just above my knee. The next surgery was above my knee.

"Each surgery exposed more and more nerves. To say I was in pain is an understatement."

John developed heparin induced thrombocytopenia with thrombosis syndrome (HITTS), a serious complication of heparin therapy. According to Pathology Associates of Lexington, PA, "Thrombosis in HIT is associated with a mortality of approximately 20 percent to 30 percent, with an equal number becoming permanently disabled by amputation, stroke, or other causes."

"I have since discovered a lot of problems with heparin," says John. "A batch of heparin was made in the US in March 2009 and it was still a bad batch—not all contaminated heparin comes from China. I still have some unanswered questions: why was I fine during my first surgery when heparin was administered but my body attacked it during the second surgery? I want to know how heparin led to my leg amputation.

"I'm a general contractor--obviously I can't work anymore. After 30 days in intensive care and seven weeks in rehab, I'm home in a wheelchair trying to learn how to walk again with this prosthesis. It is amazing how your muscles can atrophy in four months.

"Now I am now on coumadin, likely for the next few years. And I'm on social security supplemental income—$700 per month. This is the first time in my life that I've ever had to collect anything from the state. I've been in business since I was 20 years old and not real good at asking others to help, but now I need a lawyer's help."

Plaintiff Awarded $10 Million in 2002 Heparin Lawsuit

In 2002, a Texas jury awarded $10 million to a man who became a multiple amputee after taking heparin. Thirty-two-year-old John German developed gangrene in several areas and was forced to amputate all ten fingers, all of the toes on his right foot, and his left leg above the knee. The lawsuit alleged that the doctors were negligent in observing the change in the plaintiff's condition after administering heparin.