A surgical mix-up, that caused a young medical student to loose viable reproductive organs, is now the cause of a medical malpractice lawsuit, as reported by the Baltimore Sun.
An obstetrician in Ellicott City has been named for removing a healthy ovary, and fallopian tube, on the plaintiff's right side when she was supposed to be excising a cyst from her left.
The suit is filed in Baltimore Circuit Court.
The woman, N.N., 31, is now facing severe trust issues that are complicated by the fact that she must face a second surgery. She also has also been left with fertility issues, namely, she now has diminished capabilities to reproduce.
Dr. M.M., of Women's Care LLC, has been accused of operating on the wrong body part, neglect in gaining the patient's consent to remove anything and, irreparable harm to the plaintiff's marriage.
N.N. told her lawyer, Andrew Slutkin, that she feels "so violated."
The plaintiff is near the end of her medical student training, and, per her attorney, is hesitant to comment any further on the matter.
Online records from the Maryland Board of Physicians show that Dr. M.M., also unwilling to comment, is a 1998 graduate of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Dr. M.M. also has practicing privileges at Baltimore's St. Agnes and Harbor hospitals, as well as Columbia's Howard County General Hospital.
There are no records of any prior disciplinary actions, or judgments, reported against Dr. M.M.
N.N., a Burtonsville resident, was under the care of Dr. M.M. for a June 2009 pregnancy. During that time, N.N. had an ultrasound scan performed in the doctor's Elliott City office.
The ultrasound picked up a mass on N.N.'s left ovary.
Based on the scan, Dr. M.M. diagnosed that it was most likely a "dermoid cyst" - which is usually a benign tumor.
In 2010, and after another ultrasound, the cyst was still present. According to the suit, at that time Dr. M.M. suggested that due to "future complications" the cyst should be removed.
N.N. was scheduled for a "cystectomy" outpatient surgery at St. Agnes on September 22, 2010.
The civil suit contends that on the day of the surgery, "Dr. (M.M.) inappropriately and negligently failed to attempt to only remove the cyst and instead removed Mrs. (N.N.) entire right ovary and fallopian tube."
The suit further alleges that N.N. returned to see Dr. M.M. at least twice complaining of pain in her right pelvic region - yet Dr. M.M. failed to tell the patient that she had made a mistake during surgery.
On October 21, when N.N. sought emergency care for her continued pain at Howard County General Hospital, a scan showed that the tumor was still present.
What's more, the scan showed that her right ovary was now gone.
N.N., in procuring a new gynecologist, has been told that not only does the cyst still need to be removed, that she now may be infertile.
N.N. has yet to schedule the new surgery. She allegedly, "Suffers anxiety and mental distress regarding her cyst and the need for another surgery; and/or has suffered a significant decrease in her ability to bear children in the future."
Being under the knife, so to speak, requires quite a bit of trust in a surgeon. If a member of the medical profession has harmed you while under their care, contact a medical malpractice attorney today!