(Please note: the names and locations of all parties have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the participants in this medical malpractice/personal injury case and its proceedings.)
June 16, 2006: Initial Surgery
Dr. Green’s placement of the first trocar or Verrees needle caused multiple vascular injuries, including a laceration to the left iliac vein, requiring immediate repair by a vascular surgeon. As a result, Dr. Smith and Dr. Lee were called to the operating room. Dr. Smith identified and repaired a 0.5 cm laceration to the left common iliac vein. During the course of the repair to the iliac vein, Dr. Smith placed DeBakey clamps in the area of the bifurcation of the abdominal aorta. As a vascular surgeon, Dr. Smith had the duty and the obligation to inspect the area and discover any additional sources of injury or bleeding. This would include inspecting the aortic and iliac vessels to rule out a more deep and penetrating vascular injury from the trocar.
Dr. Green and Dr. Smith examined the peritoneal cavity for other areas of injury. Dr. Green inspected the small bowel and mesentery and found another laceration to the mesentery. An injury to the small bowel was missed. (See Dr. Green’s June 16, 2006, Operative Report.) Plaintiff’s surgical site was closed and he was transferred to Universal Hospital.
June 19, 2006: Respiratory Failure
Three days after the original surgery, plaintiff was in respiratory distress. A CT pulmonary angiogram was performed and revealed a large right pulmonary arterial embolus. An IVC filter was placed by interventional radiologist, Dr. King.
The following day, Defendant Dr. Stuart began treating Plaintiff for respiratory failure and complications of aspiration pneumonia and pulmonary embolism. Dr. Stuart opined that the respiratory failure was not just from the pulmonary embolism, but that he also had an aspiration event. The blood clot which caused the pulmonary embolism had developed in Plaintiffs left iliac vein near the site of the laceration during the course of the cholecystectomy. (See Part 3 of 11.)
For more information you are welcome to contact personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.