Medical Malpractice / Wrongful Death
Attorneys for Plaintiff: Stephanie E. Grana and Joseph L. Cantor
Amount of Settlement: $1,100,000.00
Facts of Case: Plaintiff’s decedent, an 80-year-old husband/father/grandfather/
great-grandfather was extremely active, independent, and healthy. In February 2023, he underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy for suspected gallbladder wall thickening. During surgery, visualization was difficult despite using ICG. An intraoperative cholangiogram was not performed at this time. It is unclear if the critical view of safety had been obtained. The common bile duct was misidentified as the cystic duct and transected. Also, the hepatic artery was mistaken as the cystic artery and nearly transected. The laparoscopy was converted to an open procedure to control the bleeding. A subsequent Roux-En-Y Hepaticojejunostomy, as well right hepatic artery repair with right saphenous vein harvesting had to be performed emergently.
Despite losing more than 80% of his circulating blood volume, plaintiff’s decedent survived the extended surgeries. He remained hospitalized for weeks and was then transferred to a rehab facility. Due to postoperative complications and a subsequent infection, his death resulted 50 days after the original surgery. He is survived by his wife of almost 59 years and a very close-knit family.