A St. Clair County couple filed a lawsuit against a hospital and several healthcare entities, accuses them of medical malpractice when they perforated the patient's small bowel during surgery.
including individual physicians, for alleged medical negligence following surgical complications in 2013.
Paula Mae Quinn and Frederick Quinn sued Alton Multispecialists Ltd., Alton Memorial Hospital, James A. Kliefoth and BJC Healthcare ACO, LLC on July 7 in St. Clair County Circuit Court, claiming negligence in a July 2013 procedure.
According to the complaint, when Paula Mae Quinn underwent a surgery described as an excision of skin fistula in abdominal wound on or about July 8, 2013, staff accidentally perforated her small bowel and failed to repair the puncture, allegedly resulting in leakage, postoperative shock, severe sepsis, and necrotizing fasciitis. As a result, she had to be airlifted to a St. Louis hospital for emergency surgery to save her life.
The suit states that the defendants’ agents or employees were negligent and unskillful in failing to recognize the wound, signs of developing infection, or sepsis at the surgery site; and failing to intervene.
The plaintiff also claims she suffered “peritonitis, acute repository [sic] failure, acute kidney failure, excruciating incapacitating pain to her abdomen and torso, and the ability to eat solid food for approximately one year.”
Alleging more than $500,000 in medical bills and rehabilitation costs and loss of consortium during recovery, the couple seeks actual costs, additional compensation of more than $50,000, attorneys’ fees and costs. The Quinns are represented by Craig Schlapprizzi of Donald L. Schlapprizzi in in St. Louis, MO.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 15-L-862