Have we all seen this???

Just read this story and wanted to share it. http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/business/index.ssf?/base/news-18/109356386247870.xml&storylist=mibusi NewsFlash Home | More null Family of city councilor who died after obesity surgery sues 8/26/2004, 7:25 p.m. ET The Associated Press SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (AP) -- The family of a Detroit city councilwoman who died after undergoing surgery for obesity has sued the hospital and doctors that performed the operation, claiming they failed to properly treat her following the procedure. Councilwoman Brenda Scott, who weighed more than 300 pounds, died from an infection caused by a stomach perforation Sept. 2, 2002, three days after surgery at Port Huron Hospital. The medical examiner ruled the death an accident. Scott, 47, underwent a procedure called Lap-Band Adjustable Gastric Banding, which won approval from the Food and Drug Administration in June 2001. The lawsuit filed Thursday in Wayne County Circuit Court claims Scott's death "was the direct and proximate result of a recognized but untreated hole which had been punched in her stomach several days before and had gone untreated" by the doctors who cared for her. The suit names Port Huron Hospital; Detroit Receiving Hospital/Detroit Medical Center; Drs. Zubin Bhesania, Anthony W. Boutt, Robert P. Wahl, and Ross E. Tabbey; and three registered nurses. Bhesania and Boutt performed the surgery at Port Huron Hospital, which also employs the nurses, while Wahl and Tabbey work at Detroit Receiving, where Scott sought emergency care when she began feeling pain after the surgery. The suit seeks a jury trial and $100 million in damages. Dan Angeli, Port Huron's vice president of medical affairs, said Thursday that the hospital had not been served with the suit and that he couldn't comment on it. He said the hospital continues to perform the labroscopic procedure and has done about 800 of them since starting it in March 2002. He said knows of no other patient deaths connected to the surgery. Ginny Seyferth, a spokeswoman for the Detroit Medical Center, declined to comment on the suit. The procedure, less invasive than stomach stapling or gastric bypass surgery, involves placing an adjustable silicone band around the upper part of the stomach, creating a small gastric pouch that limits food consumption and creates an earlier feeling of fullness. The device is inflated with saline and is intended to be permanent, but can be removed if necessary. An autopsy determined that Scott developed an infection in her stomach lining. Scott's family is being represented by Southfield lawyer Geoffrey Fieger.

This is a major endeavor and stories like this one just reminds us to be careful, research and learn about our doctors and also know what is "normal" and not in this type of procedure. Educating our loved ones--those that will be watching our back when we are not able to---is a great idea also. Even with the news story, I feel the best I possibly could about getting banded, especially versus any of the other WLS ie bypasses. thanks for posting the story! I go for my consultation Wednesday! am

I thought this was the important line of the article. "recognized but untreated hole" Do you research on your surgeon, find out their bedside manner, their attitude towards patients, their past history with patients, etc... Pure case of neglect in my opinion.

Since the hole was from several days before her surgery, could it have been from her endoscopy? And the doctor didn't catch it during the operation?????? Sounds like a BIG medical malpractice win coming soon. Cindy

A doctor's error and not the lapband did this? I guess the doc thought the hole would heal without his interference. Go figure. Wonder if any doctor has been sued over the bypass and a patient dying from it?

I remember hearing about this just as I was starting my research into weight loss surgery. It was big news in this part of the country because the woman was so prominent in the Detroit area.