Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
(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 Veress 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 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. Smith claims that as of his surgery on June 16th there was no separate injury to the bifurcation of the abdominal aorta and no injury to the iliac vein in that area
Dr. Green and Dr. Smith examined the peritoneal cavity for other area; of injury. Dr. Green and Dr. Smith inspected the small bowel and mesentery and found a laceration to the mesentery. The third injury to the small bowel was missed. 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 which revealed a large right pulmonary arterial embolus. The following day, Defendant Dr. Stuart began treating Plaintiff for respiratory failure and complications of aspiration pneumonia and pulmonary embolism.
Dr. Stuart of 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 plaintiff’s left iliac vein at the site lacerated during the cholecystectomy. All experts agree the pulmonary embolism was a direct result of Dr. Green’s laceration of the left iliac vein.
June 24, 2006: Massive Bleed and Cardiac Arrest
Eight days after the initial surgery, Defendant Dr. Lee placed arterial a rid femoral lines in Plaintiffs groin to measure his blood pressure and rapidly infuse blood. These lines are placed using a J wire which is inserted in the groin and up the iliac vein and up the fem oral artery approximately 15-20 centimeters into the area of the bifurcation of the aorta. A hard rigid catheter is placed on top of the guide wire which, if negligently placed can cause injury to the aorta. On June 24th, plaintiff suffered a gastrointestinal bleed and a separate m issive abdominal bleed. (See Part 3 of 8.)
For more information you are welcome to contact personal injury lawyer, Moseley Collins.