GLEN CARBON -- A patient claims she suffered injuries after trichloracetic acid was applied to her arm as a cleaning agent instead of rubbing alcohol.
Emily Schulte filed a lawsuit in Madison County Circuit Court against Glen Carbon-headquartered Meridian OB/GYN, Gateway Medical Group in Granite City, Dr. Dennis Hurford, and nurse practitioner Kelly Murray. Each of the defendants are involved in offering medical and surgery services, the suit states.
Meridian directed inquiries to Gateway, whose marketing officer did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Record.
She alleges that in July 2018, she was at the clinic, which provides gynecological and obstetrics services, for the removal of a long term birth control implant, Nexplanon.
While the implant was successfully removed, the plaintiff claims she had to attend a follow-up appointment to remove an antiseptic from her arm. She claims she felt a burning sensation on her arm at this time.
The suit alleges that trichloracetic acid (TCA) was applied to the arm instead of rubbing alcohol. This allegedly caused the burning sensation on her arm.
"The injuries to plaintiff were directly and proximately caused by the negligence" of the various defendants, the suit states.
The negligent acts or omissions the defendants are accused of include a failure to properly label the TCA, failure to store dangerous chemicals in a safe way, and improperly applying to the skin a hazardous chemical the defendants "knew or should have known caused burns," the suit states.
Schulte claims she was forced to the undergo additional medical treatment, including treatment to correct the injuries she suffered following the procedure.
She also alleges she was forced to pay medical expenses, suffered permanent scarring and endured pain and suffering, the suit states.
The plaintiff is represented by Short and Dougherty of Alton.
Madison County Circuit Court case number 19-L-1017