It wasn't the doctor....it was his assistant.
Posted on 09/20/2007 11:36:05 AM PDT by stm
DES MOINES, Iowa — A woman is suing her gynecologist for allegedly not telling her that he accidentally cut open a tumor he removed from her ovary, spilling cancerous tissue in her abdomen and causing her cancer to spread.
The lawsuit, filed in Polk County District Court by Lavonne Schroeter, alleges that Dr. Curtis Hoegh's negligence during and after the operation "will cause her premature death." The lawsuit also names his employer, Iowa Health Physicians and Clinics, as a defendant.
The 53-year-old Schroeter says the Des Moines doctor removed her tumor in 2002, but he never mentioned it was cancerous or discussed any mishaps during surgery. However, Hoegh had Schroeter undergo an electronic scan after a blood test raised concerns three years later, and more growths were found.
Another surgeon removed several cancerous tumors and prescribed medication, but the cancer continued to spread, the lawsuit states. Last year, a doctor at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., told her that Hoegh had accidentally cut into her tumor and caused the spread of the cancer, which is terminal but treatable, according to the lawsuit.
Schroeter's lawyer, Roxanne Conlin of Des Moines, says the Mayo doctor found out about the mistake by reading her client's medical records.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Schroeter's lawyer, Roxanne Conlin of Des Moines, says the Mayo doctor found out about the mistake by reading her client's medical records.
She's got a leg to stand on...
>> And of course it’s totally unthinkable that these newly found growths could have been cells that metastisized from the original tumor. <<
The doctor would be equally at fault:
“the Des Moines doctor removed her tumor in 2002, but he never mentioned it was cancerous...”
Unless he poured the cancerous cells down her throat, or made an incision directly into the woman's stomach, this is one of the most poorly written titles ever.
Abdomen. Not stomach.
Wonder what would happen if Lavonne Schroeter took this this suit before DC judge Roy Pearson (the a-h*le who sued the Korean cleaners (Chungs) for $84 million over a lost pair of pants). Tort reform NOW!
It wasn't the doctor....it was his assistant.
What's the Mayo Clinic doctor's angle on this?
This is different.
Did someone say... “national health care”?...
Talking to the politicians is misdirected. I'm hoping to make a difference. Spread the word.
Oh, abby someone?
Abby who?
Abbbbby....Normal.
You got me an abnormal brain????? (choking Igor)
Quite sure we don't have the whole tamale here...
I find it virtually impossible that this physician did not inform the woman this tumor was malignant. I am sure it was biopsied first. If it was benign, then there is a good chance it might not have been removed but tracked. If the results of the biopsy came back malignant then the whole thing is academic, it must be removed. My wife went through this very thing about two and a half years ago. Hers were benign but she opted for a hysterectomy (she had a few other issues as well) anyway.
This sounds to me like another person looking for a cash payout.
It does seem odd.
If I were a clumsy doctor, and spread cancerous cells around a patient's abdomen, I might (if I were unethical) not say, "Listen, I made a terrible mistake."
But I would at least have the sense to say, "I removed a tumor. Went smashingly well! Cleanest operation I ever did! I couldn't be prouder! But, I must tell you, that the tumor was cancerous, and you might want to come back periodically to be checked ... you know ... just in case it recurs. Because ... uhhh ... it just might."
Simple CYA procedure. I find it hard to believe that the doctor never said anything at all.
Guess we’ll find out when the info in the medical records is made public during the trial.
"Are you telling me, I put an abnormal brain, in a 54" wide, 7 foot long, GORRILA!!??!?!?"
I have to watch that movie tonight, too funny.
My absolute FAVORITE part of that movie is the Doctor and the Monster singing and dancing to “Puttin on the Ritz”
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