Buelna v. State of Arizona, University of Arizona, Tsau, M.D., University Physicians, et al.

Forty-nine year old woman presents to the emergency room at Northwest Medical Center on a Wednesday with chest pain. She is diagnosed with severe coronary artery occlusions and triple vessel disease, requiring immediate quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery. Surgery was not performed until five days later. Following a series of mistakes by various doctors and nurses, including an undiagnosed post-surgical bleed, the woman was rushed for a second emergent surgery. During the surgery, the woman’s heart stopped for a substantial period of time causing brain death and, 20 days later, her untimely death.

Case settled prior to trial with all parties with a covenant not to disclose the terms of the settlements.