Medical Verdicts

C-section complicated by burns and bleeding


 

Dallas County (Tex) District Court

While a woman was undergoing a cesarean section, the surgical drape caught on fire as the surgeon used a Bovie cautery unit. To control bleeding the surgeon removed the right fallopian tube and ovary.

In suing, the woman asserted she had burn injuries due to the fire and that removal of the fallopian tube and ovary was unnecessary.

The defense alleged that the surgeon had no role in causing the fire and that removal of the fallopian tube and ovary was necessary to control bleeding and ensure hemostasis.

  • The hospital settled for an undisclosed amount prior to the jury returning a verdict in favor of the physician.
The cases in this column are selected by the editors of OBG Management from Medical Malpractice Verdicts, Settlements & Experts, with permission of the editor, Lewis Laska, of Nashville, Tenn (www.verdictslaska.com). While there are instances when the available information is incomplete, these cases represent the types of clinical situations that typically result in litigation.

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