Belleville woman files wrongful death suit

Marjorie Roustio filed a wrongful death suit on behalf of her late husband, Roger, against James Wade, M.D., Terence Wade, M.D., Aaron Greenspan, M.D. and Belleville Memorial Hospital in St. Clair County Circuit Court Dec. 9.

Roustio, of Belleville, claims her husband was admitted to Memorial on Nov. 14, 2003, for of a spontaneous rupture of diverticula and an acute flare up of his ulcerative colitis.

According to the complaint, Roger Roustio Dr. sought a consultation from Dr. Greenspan, a gastroenterologist, on Nov. 17, 2003, who treated him for ulcerative colitis until his death on Dec. 12, 2003.

Also on Nov. 17, 2003, Dr. James Wade asked Dr. Terence Wade, a surgeon, to place a central venous line. He also consulted on Roger's surgical needs until his death.

Marjorie Roustio claims that on Nov. 25, Roger Roustio was also diagnosed with the onset of atrial fibrillation by Dr. Cahill which was treated with an anticoagulant or blood thinner called Heparin, even though it was noted by Dr. Greenspan that Roger was bleeding rectally.

Heparin had to be discontinued within hours due to increased bleeding.

According to the complaint, Roger was again diagnosed with atrial fibrillation on Dec. 2, 2003, and was again given Heparin along with Coumadin and on Dec. 3 and 4, began experiencing rectal bleeding. He was given 10 units of fresh frozen plasma along with five units of packed red blood cells.

Roustio claims that on Dec. 3, 2003, Greenspan considered discussing a total colectomy for Roger with Dr. Terence Wade.

According to the suit, Roger again experienced significant rectal bleeding on Dec. 6, which required 10 units of red blood cells along with 18 units of fresh frozen plasma, causing both Greenspan and Terence Wade to agree that a total colectomy was called for when Roger's condition improved.

Roustio claims that on Dec. 6, 2003, Dr. Aziz ordered three units of packed red blood cells and on Dec. 7 ordered Roger's hemoglobin and hematocrit to be checked every six hours, an order discontinued later that day by Dr. Greenspan with new orders to check only once a day.

"Roger Roustio died on Dec. 12, 2003, at 7:10 a.m. as the result of a bowel infarction due to ulcerative colitis and coronary artery disease," the complaint states.

Marjorie Roustio claims that Dr. James Wade failed to accurately diagnose the severity of the colonic bleeding that Roger suffered, failed to order proper lab tests at a frequency that would have been often enough to allow him or any other doctor to diagnose Roger's blood loss problem in a timely fashion and when informed Roger's blood sugar was greater than 500 on Dec. 12, failed to respond with orders that would have treated the elevated blood sugar.

She also claims Dr. Terence Wade failed to order a total colectomy on Dec. 11, 2003, failed to inform other physicians involved with Roger's care of his worsening condition and failed to order frequent repetition of the hemoglobin or any other blood tests to appropriately monitor his bleeding.

Dr. Greenspan is accused of failing to order ongoing frequent blood counts, failing to diagnose the severity of Roger's lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage and failing to re-examine and follow up on Roger's between the time of his exam on Dec. 11 and the time of Roger's death of Dec. 12, 2003.

Roustio, represented by John Womick of Herrin, is seeking damages in excess of $750,000.

05 L 714 (20th Circuit)