Montgomery County (Md) Circuit Court
Following a pelvic sonogram, a 48-year-old woman was diagnosed with a right ovarian cyst. A repeat sonogram several months later showed that the cyst was unchanged in size. The patient elected to have the cyst removed via laparoscopic surgery.
At a follow-up exam 1 month later, the woman discovered that not only had the cyst been removed during the procedure, but her fallopian tubes and ovaries also were excised.
In suing, the woman alleged that there was no justification for removing her fallopian tubes and ovaries, especially since the cyst was benign. Further, the woman claimed that a consent form she had signed for the laparoscopic cystectomy had disappeared from hospital files.
The doctor agreed that he had failed to obtain informed consent for removal of the tubes and ovaries, but contended that the patient had not suffered any damages as a result of the surgery.
- The jury awarded the plaintiff $547,400.