WellStar Kennestone complaint alleges a retained appendix before recurrent appendicitis and a second surgery
The amended complaint alleges that a surgeon performed a laparoscopic appendectomy on a patient at WellStar Kennestone Hospital on August 20, 2010. The pathology report stated ’no appendix identified.’ The patient had recurrent abdominal pain more than a year later. A November 29, 2011 CT scan showed evidence of acute appendicitis despite his earlier surgery. A different surgeon removed his appendix in a second operation on January 10, 2012. The patient’s wife also brings a loss-of-consortium claim over the effect of his injuries on their marriage.
Overview
This page concerns a public complaint alleging that a surgeon did not remove a patient’s appendix during an appendectomy. A second surgery followed more than a year later.
Chronology
The complaint alleges as follows:
- The patient was seen in the WellStar Kennestone Hospital emergency room on August 20, 2010 and diagnosed with acute appendicitis.
- A surgeon performed a laparoscopic appendectomy that day after mobilizing the distal ileum and the proximal ascending colon.
- The pathology report stated ’no appendix identified.’
- The patient had recurrent abdominal pain on November 29, 2011, and a CT scan that day showed evidence of acute appendicitis.
- A different surgeon removed the patient’s appendix in a second operation on January 10, 2012.
Alleged failures
The complaint alleges the following failures:
- The surgeon did not properly identify and remove the patient’s appendix during the August 20, 2010 operation.
- The filing alleges that this failure caused the recurrent appendicitis and the need for the second operation.
- The complaint pleads medical malpractice against the surgeon and, through agency allegations, all three WellStar entities, plus loss of consortium. It attaches an expert affidavit.