Results tagged “surgery error” from Medical Malpractice Lawyers & Attorneys

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The family of a 16-year-old Russian boy who died after a brain stem operation in 2006 has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the Oklahoma City surgeon who performed the risky procedure for free to gain publicity. 

The family of David Kurbanov filed the wrongful death lawsuit on February 10 in Oklahoma County District Court, alleging that Dr. Paul Francel's medical negligence left Kurbanov brain dead, which eventually contributed to his death a year later.

Dr. Francel performed the much-publicized surgery in October 2006 after doctors in Moscow discovered a tumor in Kurbanov's brain stem, which affected the parts of his brain that control swallowing, appetite, and balance. Following the operation, Kurbanov went into a coma and was declared brain dead in November. He died in June 2007 at the age of 16.

The Kurbanov family's lawsuit claims that Dr. Francel was more concerned with self-promotion than with providing appropriate care to their son. They also claim that Dr. Francel provided care that was below the acceptable standard of medical care.

According to the Associated Press, Dr. Francel currently faces at least 12 medical malpractice lawsuits that have been filed since June 2007, and is being investigated by the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision. The doctor has agreed to stop practicing medicine while the investigation is underway.

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A woman in Kentucky was awarded $9.89 million on Wednesday when a jury in a civil medical malpractice case ruled in her favor.

Latricia Satterwhite became paraplegic after a routine heart surgery back in April of 2006. The surgery on Satterwhite's mitral valve took less than one hour to complete, and was done successfully. But according to medical experts who testified in court, the surgeon who operated on Satterwhite misplaced the cannula, or hose, for a machine that pumps oxygen into the heart. As a result, too much blood and oxygen were pumped into her right hand, and too little was pumped to her brain and thoracic spinal cord.

Satterwhite is now no longer able to walk and has suffered mild to moderate brain damage, according to her attorney James Bolus.

But the surgeon who operated on Satterwhite, Dr. Michael Sekela, is disputing that the cannula was misplaced and that he is responsible for her accident. Sekela's attorney, Rich Schiller, said Sekela is considering an appeal.

Satterwhite was awarded more than $455,000 in past medical expenses and more than $4 million for future medical bills. She was also awarded $480,000 in lost wages and $4.5 million for pain and suffering, making the total verdict $9,864,175.78.

Dr. Sekela was found 31% at fault for the accident, the anesthesiologist was found 23% at fault, and the perfusionist (the person operating the lung machine) was found 41% at fault. However, because the anesthesiologist and perfusionist settled with the patient outside of court, they were not involved in the trial.

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