Nicked spleen

[Ltanyak]

What is the name of your state? Pennsylvania

I went to er to have kidney stones removed. During laser surgery my spleen was nicked. Doctor never went back to look to see why I was in some much pain after surgery. They kept me in the recovery room for 2 days until my blood pressure dropped dangerously low.

I was lifeflighted to another hospital and the paperwork said that I needed my kidney removed... The new doctor looked and saw that I had been have internal bleeding for a long time.. Spleen was removed and I was on a come for 19 days... Do I have a case

 

[quincy]

What is the name of your state? Pennsylvania

I went to er to have kidney stones removed. During laser surgery my spleen was nicked. Doctor never went back to look to see why I was in some much pain after surgery. They kept me in the recovery room for 2 days until my blood pressure dropped dangerously low.

I was lifeflighted to another hospital and the paperwork said that I needed my kidney removed... The new doctor looked and saw that I had been have internal bleeding for a long time.. Spleen was removed and I was on a come for 19 days... Do I have a case

It sounds as if you do.

I recommend you set up meetings with a few medical malpractice attorneys in your area. Initial consultations should be free. Most malpractice attorneys work on a contingency basis.

You will want copies of all of your medical records.

Good luck.

 

[justalayman]

It’s difficult to say if you have a case. Often times you will sign a waiver acknowledging various risks inherent with a given procedure. If you are injured in such a manner, suing successfully can be very difficult.

I recall that when i had a colonoscopy, a known and possible risk is death. Does that mean if I died my estate would absolutely lose a malpractices suit? No. Instances a doctor not meeting them acceptable standards of practice would still allow a successful suit even if the injury suffered was a listed possibility. If the dealer doctor did perform the work within the acceptable standards of practice, winning just became extremely difficult.

In your situation you also have the possibility of the undiagnosed injury to your spleen. Again, injury in itself does not necessarily mean a winning malpractice suit. The same goes for the fact it went undiagnosed for a couple days. Again, the standards of care will be very important. If what the first set of doctors did in respect to your complaints and your symptoms was within the standards of care, the chances of prevailing is reduced.


As Quincy stated, a consultation would be strongly recommended.


Understand that there may be some up front costs to you just to get a reasonable answer to your inquiry. It may require the lawyer to have a medical expert review your situation prior to determining whether there is a viable case. Sometimes you may be expected to pay for that opinion even if it is determined you don’t have a case. The attorney would explain this to you prior to heading down that path.

 

[quincy]

Surgery for removal of kidney stones should not lead to a spleen nick, spleen removal, kidney removal and a coma.

This sure sounds to be a good basis for a lawsuit.

 

[justalayman]

Surgery for removal of kidney stones should not lead to a spleen nick, spleen removal, kidney removal and a coma.

This sure sounds to be a good basis for a lawsuit.

IF this was simply the minimally invasive laser procedure I would agree with you as there are no incisions. I, being a layman, don’t see how there would be damage to other organs

but there are situations where there are incisions, even with a laser treatment procedure.

Given there was a cut spleen, it tends to suggest there was more to the procedure than the minimally invasive simple laser procedure.

Most of my statements were generic in nature for a reason.

Op will have signed a release. Op needs to know what complications were listed for his procedure.

Along with that, the standards of care are the basis the acts of the doctor are compared to. They are always important.


And many attorneys will expect to be reimbursed for the medical specialist they will likely hire to review the case prior to the attorney accepting the case.

 

[quincy]

I agree with all that you are saying. Any attorney consulted will eventually need to have a medical expert examine the medical records.

The risks in having kidney stones removed by any procedure, however, do not appear to list the complications experienced by Ltanyak. A more thorough review seems warranted.

 

[justalayman]

I agree with all that you are saying. Any attorney consulted will eventually need to have a medical expert examine the medical records.

The risks in having kidney stones removed by any procedure, however, do not appear to list the complications experienced by Ltanyak. A more thorough review seems warranted.

at least two do (although neither appear to be the procedure used with the op)


https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/percutaneous-nephrolithonomy-pcnl

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/percutaneous-nephrolithonomy-

Once the spleen is injured, it becomes a matter of whether the doctor was negligent for not realizing the injury based on the symptoms and from there it’s a case, at each step, of whether the doctors actions were negligent.
But yes, it would appear injury to the spleen is, at least, uncommon. Op should definitely have a chat with an attorney.

 

[quincy]

I missed John Hopkins. A risk of injury to the spleen is, indeed, mentioned.