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MADISON - ST. CLAIR RECORD

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Springfield woman sues in St. Clair County claiming doctor performed mastectomy on benign tumor

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A Springfield woman has filed suit against the doctor who she claims performed a mastectomy after mistakenly diagnosing a benign tumor on her breast as malignant.

Deena Barnett claims she underwent an ultrasound and a guided right breast biopsy on March 25, 2010, at defendant Medical Memorial Center while under the care of defendant Dr. Ranleigh Fleshman, who worked for defendant Pathology Associates of Central Illinois of Springfield.

Later, Fleshman diagnosed the biopsied tumor as malignant and told Barnett she suffered from invasive mammary carcinoma, according to the complaint filed March 20 in St. Clair County Circuit Court. In turn, defendant Dr. Donald Ross, who worked for defendant Springfield Clinic Health Services, performed a bilateral mastectomy on Barnett on April 15, 2010, the suit states.

Following the surgery, Fleshman discovered the tumor was actually benign, the complaint says.

Because of Fleshman's actions, Barnett claims she has suffered permanent disability, pain, mental anguish and disfigurement and incurred medical costs. She has also been unable to attend to her normal duties and has lost wages, according to the complaint.

In her complaint, Barnett is seeking a judgment of more than $450,000, plus costs.

Samantha S. Unsell of Thomas Q. Keefe Jr. in Belleville will be representing her.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number: 12-L-150.

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