Daniel E. Holloway
Email me about your case
Georgia case library

Wellstar Urology complaint alleges a surgeon missed CT scan signs of infection before the patient’s death

The complaint alleges that a urologist called a July 1, 2022 abdominal CT scan unremarkable, nine days after the patient’s bladder-cancer surgery. The scan actually showed a liquefying pelvic hematoma and subcutaneous emphysema indicating Fournier’s gangrene. The 79-year-old patient had reported worsening abdominal pain, surgical-site drainage, and blood in his urine beforehand. His son took him to a different hospital’s emergency room two days later. Imaging there found an abscess, infection, and bowel blockage. He developed sepsis, suffered cardiac arrest, and died on July 4, 2022.

System
Wellstar Kennestone Hospital
Facility
Wellstar Kennestone Hospital
Providers involved
Daniel M. Mollengarden, M.D. / Wellstar Medical Group, LLC d/b/a Wellstar Urology
Pattern
Alleged failure to properly interpret a postoperative CT scan and timely address developing intra-abdominal sepsis after bladder-cancer surgery
Harm
Alleged septic shock, renal failure, and death

Overview

This page concerns a public complaint alleging that a urologist missed signs of infection on a postoperative CT scan. The patient died days later.

Chronology

The complaint alleges as follows:

  1. The patient, then 79, was diagnosed with bladder cancer on January 13, 2022.
  2. A urologist performed a laparoscopic partial cystectomy at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital on June 22, 2022 to remove the tumor.
  3. He was discharged on June 28, 2022 after five days of observation but continued to have abdominal distention.
  4. He reported significant surgical-site drainage to the surgeon’s office on June 30, 2022, and was told it would resolve within one to two days. By July 1 he also reported abdominal bloating, worsening pain, and blood in his urine.
  5. The July 1, 2022 CT scan showed a liquefying hematoma and signs of Fournier’s gangrene, but the surgeon called the results unremarkable.
  6. His son took him to a different hospital’s emergency room on July 3, 2022, where imaging found an abscess and bowel blockage.
  7. He developed sepsis, suffered cardiac arrest, and died on July 4, 2022. The complaint states septic shock was the ultimate cause of death.

Alleged failures

The complaint alleges the following failures:

  • The surgeon did not properly review or interpret the July 1, 2022 CT scan, which showed signs of a developing infection.
  • He told the patient the CT scan results were unremarkable. He did not take appropriate and timely measures, such as hospital admission or antibiotics, to address intra-abdominal sepsis.
  • The filing alleges that these failures caused the patient’s sepsis, septic shock, and renal failure, and caused or contributed to his death.
  • The complaint brings a wrongful-death action pleading professional negligence and respondeat superior, and attaches an expert affidavit under O.C.G.A. § 9-11-9.1.

Entities and tags

Wellstar Kennestone HospitalWellstar Medical Group, LLCWellstar UrologyDaniel M. Mollengarden, M.D.Bladder cancerFournier’s gangreneSepsisFulton CountyDelayed or missed diagnosisPost-operative complicationsWrongful deathUrologyGeneral surgeryEmergency medicine