In December 2008, a diabetes patient underwent a controversial operation that had been advised by his doctor. The patient, a father of two young children, thought that the operation would improve his health. He was wrong.
The man suffered a permanent brain injury during the operation. The controversial operation known as “manipulation under anesthesia,” involved administering anesthesia, but while the patient was under anesthesia, the patient began to suffer complications. These complications went ignored by the anesthesiologist and the patient suffered a disabling brain injury.
The patient has since remained in a vegetative state. He can no longer play with his young children or do other activities he once enjoyed. He cannot speak. The only way the patient can communicate with his loved ones is by blinking and crying. The man’s story is heartbreaking; however, the man and his family did receive some good news last month.
According to reports, a jury in Florida awarded the victim and his family $38.5 million for his injuries, medical bills, future medical care and pain and suffering. The jury concluded that two doctors who performed the controversial procedure in 2008 were indeed negligent, and because of their negligence, the patient suffered a permanent and disabling brain injury.
In addition to failing to monitor the patient’s condition while he was under anesthesia, the lawsuit filed against the doctors also argued that the doctors should have never performed the surgery on the patient. The lawsuit argued that the patient did not need the operation and he was also not a good candidate for the procedure.
However, the procedure was performed, and when the patient began to show signs that he was experiencing complications during the operation, the man’s anesthesiologist did not immediately address the issue. The patient then went into cardiac arrest, he was deprived of oxygen, and he suffered major brain damage.
Source: South Florida Times, “Jury hits 2 doctors with $38.5M in medical negligence verdict,” Mohamed Hamaludin, May 23, 2013
