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Kentucky woman sues after sponges left in her leg after surgery

On Behalf of | Aug 1, 2014 | Uncategorized |

Going to a plastic surgeon is usually done when you want to improve the way you look or to take care of other visual issues, such as scars. What people don’t expect when they go to see a plastic surgeon is that they will end up in worse shape after their procedures than they were in before they had the procedure done. One woman who sought the help of a plastic surgeon last year has opted to file a medical malpractice lawsuit after some interesting findings after her procedure.

The patient had a debridement and skin graft done by the surgeon. After the procedure, the woman continued to have pain that didn’t decrease. The month after the procedure, the woman had an ultrasound on her left thigh. It was then discovered that sponges were left in her leg.

Five sponges were removed from the woman’s leg. This woman suffered from a staph infection and fluid build up. She spend seven weeks healing in the hospital after this surgical error.

The amount of damages being sought in this lawsuit hasn’t been disclosed. The woman is unable to stand on her left leg and will have to have surgeries in the future. The lawsuit names St. Joseph Health System, Kentucky One Health, the plastic surgeon, the hospital and the company that hosted the procedure.

Surgical instruments and tools left in a patient can certainly cause serious issues. Just the physical pain and suffering are tragic. For people who have been the victims of this type of medical malpractice, seeking compensation is possible. Any award received might help to cover the high cost associated with injuries the error causes.

Source: Outpatient Surgery Magazine, “Plastic Surgeon Faces Malpractice Allegations” Jul. 24, 2014

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