When undergoing surgery, one understands that a variety of complications may arise that could affect the success of a surgery. But medical professionals in Illinois and throughout the United States are also held to the highest standards in order to ensure that the possibility of complications arising from asurgical error is slim. Errors such as operating on the wrong patient or confusing the left side of the body with the right side of the body should never happen.
Unfortunately, one woman who underwent surgery to have a cyst removed from her ovary later discovered that her doctor had completely botched the procedure. Not only did the doctor fail to remove the cyst, but the surgeon also operated on the wrong side of the woman’s body. The woman is now suing the doctor for medical malpractice.
The lawsuit was filed Sept. 21 in Baltimore City Circuit Court. The patient is seeking $30,000 in damages after she claims that the doctor removed her right ovary, including the fallopian tube, when she was only supposed to remove a cyst from the left ovary.
According the lawsuit, the cyst removal was recommended by the gynecologist due to the concern that the cyst could continue to grow in size if left in the ovary. The cyst was found using an ultrasound and was roughly 3 centimeters by 2 centimeters. Another ultrasound was conducted and clearly confirmed the mass was in the left ovary, while the right ovary was in perfect condition.
After the woman’s surgery was performed on Sept. 22, 2010, the doctor filed a medical report stating that right ovary and right fallopian tube had been removed in surgery. There was no report of the cyst being removed. In addition to performing the wrong surgery, the lawsuit also claims that the doctor never told the patient about the error.
During follow-up appointments with her doctor, the woman said that she had complained about pain around the right side of the pelvis. Still, the doctor failed to tell her about the surgical error. When the patient finally sought treatment for her pain from another doctor, it was discovered that the cyst was still intact in her left ovary and that the right ovary and fallopian tube had been removed.
The patient said that she cannot believe the incident occurred and she feels violated. “I can’t believe my doctor did this to my family and my future,” she commented.
Source: explorehoward.com, “Lawsuit claims Ellicott City doctor removed wrong ovary,” David Greisman, Sept. 27, 2011
