Negligence claim filed against Hopkins

A woman treated last year at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center filed a malpractice claim against the hospital yesterday, saying an intern had "negligently" cut an artery in her neck while trying to establish intravenous access.

According to the lawsuit, Dezirea M. Claxton of Baltimore visited Bayview's emergency department Nov. 5 and was admitted for further tests and treatment. Several days later, two physicians examined the 49-year-old in her room and said they had to place a catheter in a vein in her neck because they couldn't use those in her arms.

One of the doctors asked the other - described as an intern - whether he could handle the procedure, and the intern said he could. But according to the lawsuit, the intern "lacerated" Claxton's carotid artery while inserting the catheter.

Claxton underwent a blood transfusion and, two days later, more than two hours of surgery to repair the damage. She was discharged Dec. 15.

A Hopkins spokesman, Gary Stephenson, said that hospital officials had not reviewed the lawsuit and that he could not comment.