BELLEVILLE — A patient claims she suffered a perforated eardrum during an ear irrigation procedure.
Carly Vest filed a complaint April 14 in the St. Clair County Circuit Court against St. Elizabeth's Hospital of the Hospital Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, Linda Pracher, R.N., Barbara Becker, FNP, Kathryn Strope, AGPCNP, Metro East Healthcare LTD., and Linda McCloud, APNP, alleging negligence.
According to her complaint, Vest went to St. Elizabeth's Hospital on Dec. 31, 2018, to seek treatment for ear pain. She claims she was diagnosed with an "impacted cerumen" and underwent an ear irrigation. She alleges that on June 27, 2019, she underwent another irrigation performed by Strope at Metro East Healthcare to "clear her cerumen." Then on Sept. 9, 2020, Vest allegedly became aware that her membrane was perforated and that she suffered the perforation while under the care of the defendants.
Vest claims the defendants caused trauma during the procedures and failed to ensure that "a person was capable of performing the procedure."
Vest seeks monetary relief of more than $75,000 and all other just relief. She is represented by Thomas Keefe, Jr., of Keefe, Keefe, & Unsell PC in Belleville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 21-L-0349