What began as a routine medical exam turned tragic when a 22-year-old lawyer went into anaphylactic shock during a CT scan and died less than a day later.
Leticia Paul suffered a severe allergic reaction to a contrast agent used in the scan at Alto Vale Regional Hospital in Rio do Sul, Brazil, on August 20, according to local outlets G1, Agência Globo and Oeste SC Notícias.
Paul was intubated and medical staff performed life-saving measures, but the young lawyer, who lived in Lontras, Brazil, died less than 24 hours later.
Paul’s aunt, Sandra Paul, told G1 that her niece had been undergoing a routine checkup because she has a history of kidney stones when she went into anaphylactic shock.
Anaphylactic shock is “a sudden, severe and life-threatening allergic reaction” that can trigger symptoms such as “constriction of the airways, leading to difficulty breathing,” “swelling of the throat,” and “drop in blood pressure,” among others, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Paul had recently graduated and was pursuing postgraduate studies in both law and real estate, Oeste SC Notícias reported.
“She loved law, she was so studious,” her aunt said. “She dreamed big, and I’m sure she would be a well-known name in the legal world.”
Alto Vale Regional Hospital released a translated statement to news outlets.
“We take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to ethics, transparency and healthcare safety, highlighting that all procedures are conducted in accordance with recommended clinical protocols,” the hospital group said.
