Personal Injury Law

Surgical Error Leads to Wrongful Death Lawsuit Following Weight Loss Procedure

By Steven M. Levin and John J. Perconti

The LA Times reported last week on a wrongful death lawsuit filed after a tragic surgery killed a 50 year old woman.

The victim underwent a ?Lap Band? surgery in July of this year at the Simi Valley Hospital. The surgery involved the insertion a silicone ring around a portion of her stomach to aid in proper eating and weight loss. However, without informing her or her husband, surgeons accidentally lacerated the woman?s liver in three locations during the surgery. The lacerations caused three liters of body fluid to seep into her abdominal cavity.

Upon discharge from the hospital the woman suffered severe pain. It wasn?t long before she was rushed back to the facility for emergency care, but there was little to be done. She died five days after the surgery. The surgeon who performed the operations claims that heart failure caused the woman?s death, not the surgery.

Several other Lap Band patients have also died following the procedure. Some of those victims have also filed wrongful death lawsuits following the deadly surgical mistakes.

Surgical errors are a common form of medical malpractice. Patients are often at risk for complications when their surgeons and nurses make mistakes when performing these risky operations. All patients should be guaranteed a basic level of care when they submit to the surgery.

Full post as published by Illinois Medical Malpractice Blog on February 13, 2011 (boomark / email).