Mastectomy Mistake: 'You Don't Have Cancer'

ABC News ^ | 10/4/2007 | Unattributed

[Huntress]

How horrible it must be to have been needlessly mutilated. I hope she wins.

[Huntress]

Ping!

[elkfersupper]

Precursor indication of what we’re in for with the inevitable socialized medicine in this country-except that those who actually need the surgery won’t be able to get it.

[Fairview]

Never mind, dear, with the money you’ll get you’ll not only have the best cancer-free implants, but you’ll be such a rich woman that you won’t be single for long.

[My Favorite Headache]

Winning is not even the situation here. She will probably bankrupt the company cleaning them out and the hospital, radiologist and everyone who was involved.

[Huntress]

From the story, it sounds to me like she’s only going after the lab that made the error.

[therut]

The idea of getting two biopsies is stupid. Not needed for something that rarely occurs. I doubt seriously that this idea is going to become a standard of care. Two surgical procedures are not needed. There will always be human error. But two biopsies are not needed. Maybe a better system of checking and rechecking to make more sure the specimen is labled and processed correctly.

[Tall_Texan]

A little super glue can clear that right up.

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

Precursor indication of what we’re in for with the inevitable socialized medicine in this country-except that those who actually need the surgery won’t be able to get it.

If we get socialized medicine, you won't get the operation. You will just wait in line.

Something else to consider if we get socialized medicine. Doctors will get public employee protection which means lawsuits will be subjected to statutory limits. Those lawyers used to winning multimillion dollar lawsuits will be lucky to win $100,000. With the gravy train shut off for trial lawyers they will turn on a dime and get their congressional patsies to outlaw socialized medicine.

Just reporting the facts before they happen.

[SteveMcKing]

A state report blames Eason's mix-up on a former technician at CBLPath lab who mislabeled her biopsy results. The report said the technician "cut corners."
 

That probably means her boss was overworking her.

I'd also guess the laboratory budget contains "cost savings" and "productivity" bonuses for the supervisors, which are great incentives to cut corners.

It's basic greed and cheapness, and now some low-level worker gets blamed for it.

[Rudder]

She may have great legs.

[paulat]

How horrible it must be to have been needlessly mutilated. I hope she wins.

I hope she wins, too...but we breast cancer survivors don't look on ourselves as "mutilated."

[calex59]

But in a statement, CBLPath Medical Lab said, "The New York State Department of Health found no systemic problems and no deficiencies were cited against the lab."

I guess the Docs were just stupid as hell then, right?

[calex59]

I hope she wins, too...but we breast cancer survivors don't look on ourselves as "mutilated."

No disprespect intended here and I can understand your attitude and applaud it with you being a breast cancer survivor, but this woman is NOT a breast cancer survivor, she is a woman who WAS multilated because her breast were removed needlessly and I am sure she feels multilated and a horror that is beyond description.

It is one thing to do what has to be done to survive, another to have body parts removed simply because some dumb a** made a mistake.

[umgud]

Gov’t healthcare (Hillary-care) would have saved this woman.

[paulat]

It is one thing to do what has to be done to survive, another to have body parts removed simply because some dumb a** made a mistake.

I think I acknowledged that. I said I hope she wins.

There are just tons of men out there who think breast cancer survivors are "mutilated."

[maine-iac7]

[Ramius]

Horrifying story, no doubt.

Though had it been a man having his nuts cut off in a cancer misdiagnosis... It would have been material for Comedy Central.
Funny that.

[Stayfree]

My wife just found out on Aug. 15 that she has breast cancer. She has already had the surgery and begins chemotharapy on Oct. 18. Today we had our weekly visit with her doctor* and we discussed the two malpractice suits on Long Island reported by Fox News this AM. She didn't quite understand how the lab could have screwed things up because when she biopsies, she applies her own Clinic's labels and then personally reviews the slides with the pathologist before actual surgury. She told us that there are more than 6 other checks and balances used at her Clinic. Her most effective control is the fact that she is the doctor in charge of the patient, she does the initial examination, orders a second mammogram, orders a breast MRI (only performed and reviewed by one of the best radiologists in the whole country), she performs the biopsy, she does the surgery, she does the post-op follow-up, she assigns the medical oncologist who does the chemotherapy and she determines what tests are performed and when and she is the one who reviews every test result.
*BTW, my wife never had a mammogram, but checked herself for lumps on a routine basis. We have since learned that mammograms and sonograms are not a surefire means of discovering cancerous breast lumps. Only breast MRI's are reliable, but most radiologists are not adequately experienced to properly read the results. For this reason, I recommend Dr. Laura Lee at the Comprehensive Cancer Center in Palm Springs, CA. to properly evaluate the existence of breast cancer. Although their website doesn't reflect her recent arrival from USC Med Center, you can request her bio from the clinic. She is tops! Their telephone number is (760) 416-4800. If you would like more input, use private reply.

[rottndog]

Wow....prayers up for your wife...and you.