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Malpractice victim suffers ruptured colon after botched procedure

 

Acts of medical malpractice often leave long-lasting emotional and physical wounds. A misdiagnosis can result in delayed treatment and irreversible damage. A mistake during surgery can cause unsuspecting Oregon patients to suffer from permanent injuries. This was the unfortunate experience of one woman, whose botched surgery resulted in a leg amputation and other serious injuries.

The woman suffered from a life-threatening condition in which scar tissue blocked her colon. This caused her to be unable to use the restroom. Her doctors flushed her colon several times, and recommended a permanent medical procedure to address the condition. The procedure involved inserting a stent to unblock her colon.

She was sent home after the procedure, and almost immediately had to call 911 due to the intense pain. Her doctor had inserted a stent tested for the esophagus in her colon. This caused her colon to rupture. According to the woman’s attorney, the doctor consciously made the decision to use the stent in her colon in what is called an “off label” procedure. Off label procedures are not against the law, but they do require a doctor to undergo proper training and patients must be fully informed of the associated risks. According to the woman’s lawsuit, neither of those two requirements were met in her case. She alleges to have been used as an experiment and now suffers from severe complications from the surgery. The woman is required to permanently wear a colostomy bag. She also had her leg amputated due to a blood clot.

Although she eventually settled with the doctor, her case is still pending against the hospital where the procedure was performed. The woman’s heartbreaking case shows the devastating effects of medical malpractice and Hospital negligence. Victims of malpractice can learn more about their legal rights by contacting an experienced Oregon legal professional.

Source: First Coast News, “Medical malpractice nightmare,” Kaitlyn Ross, Nov. 7, 2013

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