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Medical malpractice: Woman’s healthy kidney removed

On Behalf of | Nov 8, 2018 | Doctor Errors

The kidneys are one of the body’s vital organs. They work to filter waste and regulate blood pressure in the human body. Although some people are able to survive with only one kidney, it is not a choice that many make. Massachusetts residents may be interested in one woman’s medical malpractice case and how it left her involuntarily without a healthy and functioning kidney.

Reportedly, the 51-year-old female suffered injuries from a car accident, resulting in the need for a delicate back surgery to alleviate her chronic pain. In order for the patient to be ready for her orthopedic surgeon, another surgeon was requested to surgically open and prepare the patient. In the process, he noticed a large mass in the woman’s pelvic area and assumed it may have been a malignant tumor. He opted to remove the mass without a biopsy, diagnosis or the woman’s consent.

Unfortunately, the mass was not a mass but the woman’s kidney. The woman had something called Pacheco’s kidney, which is a condition where her kidney is in her pelvic region and not her upper abdomen. The woman’s lawyer made a case that two MRIs prior to the surgery had showed the healthy and functional kidney in her pelvis, but the surgeon did not review the MRI prior to removing the kidney. The woman filed a lawsuit and has settled for an undisclosed amount. In addition, an official complaint to the Department of Health against the physician has been made, and the doctor could potentially face consequences through the medical board.

Unfortunately, when mistakes occur in the medical field, the patients are the ones who suffer the most. In cases where mistakes do not result in the unintentional death of a patient, patients may be left to suffer through additional medical treatment and additional medical costs. Medical malpractice attorneys in Massachusetts understand the difficulties that many patients face and work hard to help patients understand their options for legal and financial restitution.