Common Misdiagnoses of Nephritis

Nephritis, also known as Bright’s Disease, is the term used to describe a patient with an existing inflammation of one or both of the kidneys. The kidneys are composed of tube-like structures called nephrons, through which waste is passed from your kidneys into your bladder to be disposed of. Both of your bean-shaped kidneys are used in the body to filter out waste material from your blood and dispose of this waste through your urine. In the case of someone who suffers from nephritis, the kidneys fail to work properly and begin to flush out necessary proteins from the body through urine. This can result in proteinuria and is quite serious. Statistics show that nephritis is the ninth leading cause of death.

Correct Diagnostic Procedure

As with all other medical conditions, there is an accepted procedure for correctly diagnosing a patient with nephritis. The first step is for your doctor to determine if you are predisposed in any way to developing this condition. Those who suffer from lupus, for example, may be predisposed to nephritis. Others who may be predisposed to nephritis include patients who have a family history of nephritis. Doctors will take a medical history to discover substantial medical background on all patients and their family members in order to determine if you have anything that could make you predisposed to the condition. 

The second step is to evaluate a patient’s signs and symptoms. The most common sign or symptom of that can indicate nephritis is retention of water in the body. This will cause swelling in the extremities, such as the feet, legs, hands, and ankles. Diagnosing of nephritis can also be done through a physical examination by a trained physician who can feel whether or not the kidneys are swollen. Finally, the last procedure to be performed should be a test on the urine and blood of the patient who is suspected of having this condition. A urine test of someone who is suffering from nephritis will show high levels of proteins in the urine, indicating the kidneys are not functioning properly. Similarly, a blood test will indicate a drop in the protein levels of the red blood cells that are necessary for the body to function.

Misread, Delayed, or Missed Diagnosis

The diagnosis for nephritis can be misread or delayed if the physician does not follow through with all of the diagnostic procedures as mentioned above. The urine and blood tests are especially important in order to correctly diagnose nephritis because swelling of the extremities can be caused by a number of different medical conditions. This means diagnosis strictly based on signs and symptoms rather than on the results of direct testing could lead to diagnosing you with another medical condition, rather than what has been confirmed in a laboratory through testing. The diagnosis could also be misread, delayed, or missed if errors occur during laboratory testing of the urine or blood specimens collected.

Consequences of Delayed Treatment or Misdiagnosis

Since the kidneys perform such an important function in ridding the body of waste and providing necessary proteins, delay in treatment or misdiagnosis of nephritis can be fatal. The protein that the body needs is used for blood clotting to occur, and without this protein in the body, you can bleed to death from even the tiniest laceration. This condition can also cause your kidneys to fail or your heart to fail, which can result in death. Nephritis must be diagnosed correctly and treated immediately, so if your doctor doesn't properly diagnose you when any reasonable physician would have, then your doctor may be considered to be liable for malpractice for all harm that is a direct cause of his/her carelessness.

Getting Help

If you believe your doctor was negligent in not properly diagnosing or treating your nephritis, you should strongly consider getting legal help. Your attorney can help you to understand and explore options for a medical malpractice claim to hold your doctor responsible for damages.