In February of this year, a federal judge awarded $2 million to a military family after a woman had a hysterectomy unnecessarily following a wrong diagnosis. The judge ruled that the 32-year-old Army wife and mother of two was misdiagnosed, that doctors at the hospital undertook the June 2000 surgery without her informed consent, and negligently managed her post-operative case.
This is the third time since August that a federal judge ruled against the government in malpractice cases in Jacksonville, Florida.
For six years prior to the surgery, the Army wife was being treated for various ailments, including Chronic Pelvic Pain and problems with relieving herself. Her internist diagnosed her with endometriosis, while her urologist diagnosed her with Interstitial Cystitis. A gynecologist decided that this woman had the disease (endometrosis) – inside her bladder, which experts said would be unlikely.
After the hysterectomy, another urologist examined the patient’s bladder and found that the abnormal tissue inside was not endometriosis.
No endometriosis was ever documented pathologically on any of the tissues and her reproductive organs were found to be perfectly normal and healthy.
Boy, sure makes me glad I don’t live in Jacksonville, Florida! I feel really bad for this woman. Only 32 and no longer able to have any more children, and now has to go through menopause because of inadequate medical treatment. Very sad.
That is horrific. That poor woman!!
I am 26 years old and had an unplanned hysterectomy, I was in labor for about a week when doctor’s realized my son was transversed and decided to do an emergency c section. 3-4 days later after being in a coma, I was told by my fiancee’ my uterus was removed, I’m still so shaken and have terrible nightmares of doctors trying to kill me up to now. I no longer can have kids, I have unexplainable pelvic pain, hot flashes, and feel like I’m going thru menopause at 26, I finally got a lawyer, and hopefully justice will be served, hope this never happens to anyone, can’t explain the emotional damage that this caused me, not being able to give my husband anymore children, thank god we have 1 together!