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Medical Malpractice Lawsuit in Highly Publicized Surgical Mishap

A patient who was left sedated on the operating table while awaiting brain surgery has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against two NY doctors for their acts of negligence in failing to perform her surgery.

Last April, Jennifer Ronca was scheduled to undergo the second of a two part brain surgery by Dr. Paolo Bolognese.  Unbeknownst to her, the renowned brain surgeon had plans to leave town that same day.  He claims to have made an attempt to get another doctor to cover for him; however he left anyway without having confirmed that the other surgeon was available and agreeable to doing the procedure.

Adding insult to injury, the other neurosurgeon available at the time, Dr. Thomas Milhorat, declined to perform the surgery even though the patient was prepped and sedated for the procedure.

Ronca awoke to be told that no surgery had been performed.  She was essentially put under dangerous heavy anesthesia for nothing.

The New York department of health got involved shortly after the incident and both doctors were suspended for two weeks.  In addition, the hospital at which the surgery was supposed to take place, North Shore Hospital, has been fined for this and multiple other unrelated incidents, including wrong site surgery.  The hospital has been given until October to provide the state with a plan to correct these issues and pay back their fines.

Ronca’s medical malpractice lawsuit does not indicate how much she is seeking in damages, but in this case it will likely be more a case of punishing the doctors for their egregious acts than recovering money for pain and suffering.

Doctors have the duty to provide their patients with the highest standard of care.  In this case, both surgeons shirked their duties and left their patient high and dry.  They must be held accountable for their negligence.  Further information will be relayed when it becomes available.

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