Tonsillectomy

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CASE: Unwarranted and negligent tonsillectomy

FACTS: Otherwise healthy 24-year-old plaintiff had three strep infections and one unconfirmed peritonsillar abscess over a two-month period. Defendant practitioner recommended a tonsillectomy notwithstanding that plaintiff did not meet national guidelines, or the defendants’ own criteria for a tonsillectomy.

In addition, defendant practitioner negligently performed the tonsillectomy while plaintiff was acutely infected, damaging her right carotid artery. Post-operatively plaintiff began vomiting large amounts of blood. When treatment for this iatrogenic injury failed to control the bleeding, defendants performed a neck and carotid artery dissection, including placement of a saphenous vein graft as an arterial bypass.

Unfortunately, the graft defendants placed became infected and pseudoaneurysms developed. As a result, defendants had to excise the graft, leaving plaintiff with a permanently ligated carotid artery. Plaintiff now lives without one of the two major blood vessels meant to perfuse her brain.

DEFENSE: General denial of liability

INJURIES: Loss of carotid artery, permanent scarring, PTSD, disabling fatigue

SETTLEMENT: The parties agreed to settle for a confidential amount.

PLAINTIFF’S COUNSEL: Randolph J. Reis and Kimberly Kirkland (Reis & Kirkland, PLLC)

CASE/COUNTY: Anonymous v. Anonymous