I went for surgery to remove my appendix. The doctors took out the wrong organ
A cancer patient is suing his hospital and surgeons after they allegedly removed the wrong organ during a botched appendectomy.
George Piano, 72, had been diagnosed with appendicitis and underwent surgery to have his appendix removed at the University of Washington Medical Center last December.
But when the pain persisted after treatment, scans revealed that doctors had removed part of his colon instead of his appendix.
The intestine was also now leaking its contents into the abdomen, causing an infection and making the pain ‘much worse’ than before he had the operation.
George Piano, 72, pictured above with wife Betsy, from Washington state, said doctors removed part of his large colon when the intention was to remove his appendix
He has now undergone four operations because of the botched operation, suffered an infection and had a billiard ball-sized wound in his abdomen that refused to heal for months.
Mr. Piano filed the lawsuit alleging medical malpractice. He is pictured above in hospital during treatment
According to the lawsuit, the father of two has since undergone four surgeries and had to relieve himself in a bag.
He also suffers from constant pain and a billiard ball-sized wound in his abdomen that did not heal for months.
The lawsuit also says the botched surgery forced him to delay cancer treatment.
The former construction worker is seeking damages for medical malpractice from the hospital and its surgeons Nidhi Udyavar and Paul Herman.
He did not say how much he is seeking, but his attorney Ed Moore said similar cases in the past have resulted in payouts of $500,000 to $3 million.
His case was filed in King County Superior Court on December 6 and a trial date has been set for November of next year.
Speaking about his injuries, Mr Piano β from Lake Forest Park β said KIRO 7 as she fought back tears, βIt’s been a year of hell. I’m not the same person I was when this started.
“(But) I feel very lucky to be alive.”
He added: βWe didn’t want it to happen to anyone else.
‘Someone had to put an end to this, take responsibility and say this happened. We must take steps to ensure this does not happen again.β
Mr. Piano said in the lawsuits that he went to the University of Washington Medical Center on Dec. 6 with abdominal pain.
Doctors rushed him to the operating room, but when he returned he said the pain had already gotten “much worse.”
A CT scan performed two days later revealed that his appendix was still in place, but part of his intestine had been removed.
On the day of the scan he had another operation to have the appendix removed.
Mr. Piano said that since the botched surgery, he has spent 53 days in the hospital, lost 40 pounds and developed anxiety and short-term memory loss.
He says in court documents that the many medical problems he suffered were “non-existent” until he underwent the botched surgery.
Mr. Piano has also claimed that he required weekly home physical therapy visits and home nurse visits to monitor his vital signs.
In the lawsuit, Mr. Piano says doctors told him they had removed part of his intestine because it had diverticulitis β a medical condition in which small sacs form and become inflamed in the wall of the colon.
Mr. Piano and his wife Betsy say they now receive weekly physical therapy visits and home nursing visits because of Mr. Piano’s condition
The University of Washington Medical Center said they always strived to provide patients with the best care possible. In the photo above: Mr. Piano during treatment
A University of Washington spokeswoman said, βUW Medicine is committed to providing the best possible care to all of our patients.
‘Their safety and well-being are of great importance to us. We cannot comment on the details of the case.β
Appendicitis is when the appendix β a small, finger-shaped sac on the colon β becomes inflamed and fills with pus.
Doctors removed the appendix to relieve the pain, noting that the organ appears to have no function in the human body.
In cases where the pain is not treated, patients may experience complications, including a burst appendix, which can cause a serious infection in the abdomen.
About 250,000 Americans are diagnosed with appendicitis each year, which is usually treated with surgery. It is rarely fatal.