New York City Law Firm for Failure to Diagnose Moyamoya

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    What is Moyamoya?

    To some, the name Moyamoya is as unfamiliar as learning a foreign language. In fact, Moyamoya is a serious health condition. The term originates from a Japanese phrase that means “a cloud of smoke,” likened to the appearance of blood vessels that surround a blocked artery when seeking an alternate pathway for blood to flow. When arteries become thickened and the passageway for blood becomes narrower, other tinier blood vessels compensate for that lack of blood flow by diverting the oxygen-rich blood around the blockage to the areas of the brain that need it the most. Unfortunately, due to their fragile state, these tiny blood vessels can break and bleed into the brain causing hemorrhages, aneurysms and stroke. What is often passed off as a cluster headache or chronic pain, the constriction more severely leads to cerebral hemorrhages and ischemic attacks.

    In a failure to diagnose case involving Moyamoya, the doctor or other professional health care provider has failed to notice that the constricted blood vessels could result in anything other than a headache. When left untreated, the effects of Moyamoya can damage an individual and family permanently in the forms of job loss, wage loss, years of therapy, financial distress, quality of life, and in some cases—sudden death.

    Causes and Symptoms of Moyamoya

    Mini-strokes are typically the first visible symptom of Moyamoya. In addition, the patient tends to experience numbness in the arms or legs, paralysis on one side of the body and difficultly speaking. If you or someone you know has experienced any of those symptoms, immediate medical attention must be sought. Although it is difficult to determine the cause of Moyamoya, many believe it to be a hereditary disease found in individuals who have sickle cell diseases, Down’s Syndrome or those who have undergone radiation or radiotherapy.

    Moyamoya has been around for years, affecting both adults and children. From an age perspective, Moyamoya is most commonly found in children ages 5 to 15, and in adults ages 30-40. In both cases the aftermath can be devastating. In children, the disease often results in strokes and seizures. In adults, the disease leads to strokes or brain bleeding. Once discovered, however, even patients who are effectively treated will likely always have the condition. The only option for any type of treatment is a risky brain surgery. And, although a person may lead a better life than if the Moyamoya had continued to go untreated, there is always the probability of other events occurring.

    What is a Failure to Diagnose Case for Moyamoya?

    Patients depend on their doctors to accurately identify, diagnose and treat ailments and negative conditions. Physicians do this by ordering the right tests, assessing critical patient information, and maintaining familiarity with the patient’s condition over the years. But, everyone knows that sometimes a diagnosis happens too late and the window of opportunity for any type of treatment no longer exists. Because Moyamoya is chronic and progressive, it is imperative that precautions be taken whenever any signs or symptoms of Moyamoya are discovered, no matter how irrelevant or minor they may seem at the time.

    Failure to diagnose cases are among the most difficult to prove, and among the most devastating for a family and victim. How can a primary care physician fail to diagnose a disease based on symptoms that point directly to that ailment? Unfortunately, many doctors and nurses are overworked and saddled with double shifts or back-to-back surgeries. Overlooking what may seem obvious has become the norm, particularly when a patient is sent home or dismissed by an inattentive care physician who is trying to reach a quota of patients being treated. While certain symptoms point to diagnosing Moyamoya, it continues to be a lesser-known disease; therefore, doctors may not have the extensive knowledge to make a correct and quick diagnosis. But, if the doctors do not have the knowledge, who does? Patients rely on their physicians to take care of them and to make assumptions based on patient history, family history and propensity for certain disease. The attention to these details is lacking in a failure to diagnose Moyamoya case.

    Do you have reason to believe that your health care professional failed to diagnose Moyamoya in you or a loved one? If so, do not hesitate to contact a firm who is renowned for settling failure to diagnose cases, including cases involving Moyamoya. Obtaining and capturing medical records and medical history is among one of the most challenging tasks in any lawsuit. A law firm who has the experience and proper tools to do so will have a higher success rate in achieving the results you need for a settlement that affords you the compensation you deserve. To start the process, call (855) TOP-FIRM or fill out the Free Failure to Diagnose Moyamoya Case Evaluation Form. With no obligation, the team at Finz & Finz, P.C., is waiting to speak with you.