Woman sues over mistaken mastectomy

[CosmicPathos]

Well, recently certain pathologists and surgeons in Windsor, Canada, have come under strict investigation after certain incidents of malpractice.

"A woman whose healthy breast was removed by a doctor in the mistaken belief it was cancerous is suing for the devastation she says the unnecessary surgery has caused her.

Laurie Johnston, of Leamington, Ont., is seeking $2.2 million in damages amid several investigations into how she and at least one other woman became surgical victims.

“Sometimes, I'm alone and I just sit there and think about it, and I start to cry,” Johnston said Wednesday.

“If I'm not crying, I'm angry, anxious. I'm having a hard time dealing with those emotions.”

Johnston's lawsuit names her surgeon, Dr. Barbara Heartwell, pathologist Dr. Olive Williams as well as Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital in Windsor, Ont., where the surgery took place, and the Leamington District Memorial Hospital."

Rest at http://www.healthzone.ca/health/newsfeatures/article/774424--woman-sues-over-mistaken-mastectomy


What are your views regarding this? Do you think she would stop crying once she gets $2.2 million? Is she justified in asking for $2.2 mil? Or should she ask for more in damages? After all a pathologist in Canada makes $340,000 per year on average.

 

[islamirama]

She should be asking $5 million from the all the doctors and the hospital. Body parts don't grow back and if someone tells you that you got cancer (imagine the emotional roller-coaster) and removes part of you and then says oopps we made a booboo, it's time to take their license away (although i prefer some limbs too), especially considering she's not the only victim.

 

[جوري]

You can't put a price on any human part, so I won't discuss that aspect..
yes it is frightening to under-go surgery because a pathologist or a surgeon or a radiologist made a mistake but mistakes happen.. if they happen frequently from the same portal then I'd question the training of the physician .. (BTW) pathology was my first choice for a residency and it is a five year residency, working in a group is better than working alone, if you are not sure about a section, you can always check with your partners.

It is a shame..

 

[CosmicPathos]

Yes. But considering that sometimes these guys do get on the high pedestal that they are so privileged, it is necessary to bring them down if they do make such mistakes. The thing is, that another woman got a wrong mastectomy in this very same hospital, so its not a rare event ....

 

[جوري]

Yes. But considering that sometimes these guys do get on the high pedestal that they are so privileged, it is necessary to bring them down if they do make such mistakes. The thing is, that another woman got a wrong mastectomy in this very same hospital, so its not a rare event ....

How do you know they are on a pedestal? BTW I am not detracting from the severity of what occurred, but we don't really know the circumstances that led to that.. you'd be surprised how justifiable it is to come up with a certain diagnosis.. sometimes folks leave with a diagnosis of mesothelioma when they have adenocarcinoma because they share some characteristics and they can be treated for one thing when they really need another... it isn't unreasonable to think that a misdiagnosis will happen.. and it isn't because of negligence, pathology is probably one of the most difficult careers in medicine, they are the final arbiters in decision making when you have a 'definitive' diagnosis for something it isn't really because your internist thought it, it is because of the work he sent off for some other higher trained physician to give a final decision .. an internist can always change his mind and not be tortured for it, your bleeding is really because of diverticulosis and not hemorrhoids and not lose money or a license over it, but it isn't the case for a pathologist.. it is also not the case for a radiologist and that is why their salary is higher, because their job is more stressful and more difficult not because they are on pedestals ..

In fact I'll go the extra mile to say that most people don't even know what pathologists do or think them real doctors outside of forensics.

There are probably more than nine different types of malignant parotid tumors, mucoepidermoid carcinoma, Adenoid cystic carcinoma, Malignant mixed tumors, Acinic cell carcinoma, Adenocarcinoma, Primary squamous cell carcinoma, Sebaceous carcinoma, salivary duct ca. lymphoma, Malignant fibrohistiocytoma.. just to give you an idea.. your internist will note a mass, a 'tumor of the parotids', your surgeon will take out mass, the pathologist will give a name to the mass and that will dictate treatment after surgical removal, and since they all come from the same region, you can imagine what a daunting task that is..

Yes I'd be angry if I were misdiagnosed and I lost a limb over it, but I think it has nothing to do with pedestals, it has to do with the best decision one makes with what they know.. the higher your position the more pressure and microscope there will be on you.. if you go through medicine and residency one day you too will appreciate that!

and Allah swt knows best

 

[CosmicPathos]

How do you know they are on a pedestal? BTW I am not detracting from the severity of what occurred, but we don't really know the circumstances that led to that.. you'd be surprised how justifiable it is to come up with a certain diagnosis.. sometimes folks leave with a diagnosis of mesothelioma when they have adenocarcinoma because they share some characteristics and they can be treated for one thing when they really need another... it isn't unreasonable to think that a misdiagnosis will happen.. and it isn't because of negligence, pathology is probably one of the most difficult careers in medicine, they are the final arbiters in decision making when you have a 'definitive' diagnosis for something it isn't really because your internist thought it, it is because of the work he sent off for some other higher trained physician to give a final decision .. an internist can always change his mind and not be tortured for it, your bleeding is really because of diverticulosis and not hemorrhoids and not lose money or a license over it, but it isn't the case for a pathologist.. it is also not the case for a radiologist and that is why their salary is higher, because their job is more stressful and more difficult not because they are on pedestals ..

In fact I'll go the extra mile to say that most people don't even know what pathologists do or think them real doctors outside of forensics.

There are probably more than nine different types of malignant parotid tumors, mucoepidermoid carcinoma, Adenoid cystic carcinoma, Malignant mixed tumors, Acinic cell carcinoma, Adenocarcinoma, Primary squamous cell carcinoma, Sebaceous carcinoma, salivary duct ca. lymphoma, Malignant fibrohistiocytoma.. just to give you an idea.. your internist will note a mass, a 'tumor of the parotids', your surgeon will take out mass, the pathologist will give a name to the mass and that will dictate treatment after surgical removal, and since they all come from the same region, you can imagine what a daunting task that is..

Yes I'd be angry if I were misdiagnosed and I lost a limb over it, but I think it has nothing to do with pedestals, it has to do with the best decision one makes with what they know.. the higher your position the more pressure and microscope there will be on you.. if you go through medicine and residency one day you too will appreciate that!

and Allah swt knows best

I understand the nuances when diagnosing some complex situations. But in these two cases, the surgeon, as she said herself, did not read the pathology report completely! There is a difference in making a wrong decision and making decisions wrongly.

thanks for your input.
:wa:

 

[جوري]

I understand the nuances when diagnosing some complex situations. But in these two cases, the surgeon, as she said herself, did not read the pathology report completely! There is a difference in making a wrong decision and making decisions wrongly.

thanks for your input.
:wa:

Indeed.. surgeons are also not the brightest peas in the pods though they think they are so heroic they are probably the dumbest.
I'd love to take a look at that report myself..
I have never seen a report that says definitive ductal carcinoma, they can say changes consistent with paget's disease or consistent with lobular ca. and they give a grade and stage depending on lymph nods and distant meds. etc.

I feel like something is really fishy or missing from the picture, and I think more than likely it is the surgeon's fault more than the pathologist but who knows.. Allah swt knows best of what transpired there..

 

[جوري]

I have just read this:

The suit also claims that Williams' pathology report, which concluded she did not have cancer, was confusing and contributed to the misdiagnosis.
Unknown to Johnston, a radiologist also concluded days before the surgery that she did not have cancer, but that report appears to have also gone unheeded

so both pathologist and radiologist said non-cancerous..

 

[islamirama]

Williams' pathology report, which concluded she did not have cancer, was confusing and contributed to the misdiagnosis.

a radiologist also concluded days before the surgery that she did not have cancer, but that report appears to have also gone unheeded.

hospital has previously said Heartwell misread the report.

Janice Laporte, whose healthy breast was removed by Heartwell at the same hospital in September 2001

both hospitals were aware of problems with Williams' reports as well as with Heartwell's record

Enough said, it's obvious we have incompetent docs here and even more incompetent hospital that covered their tracks until investigations had to be launched. Some may like to defend their field but I would hang a doc, lawyer or mechanic any day. Most people in these profession are losers who are in it for the money and will charge you arm and leg for and put their greed over your well being any day.

On average, 22 per cent of the time, the initial diagnosis is incorrect

So much for working in "groups" and asking 2nd opinions....

 

[جوري]

Most people in these profession are losers who are in it for the money and will charge you arm and leg for and put their greed over your well being any day.

That is nice!

 

[islamirama]

That is nice!

That is reality!

 

[جوري]

That is reality!

That is reality as only you believe it. Losers don't spend 8 years in school, five or more in a residency, pay half of their salary to taxes and the rest on mal-practice insurance, go on call every third night, and incur hundreds of thousands worth of med school debt, put their life on hold for books because they want to charge you an arm and a leg out of greed. It would be easier to get into wall street and start some ponzie schemes, get into the NBA, or talk shows or politics if you want to talk greed!

It is amazing the hardship people endure only to be begrudged some basic respect out of having applied themselves in lieu of wallowing how others have it better.

 

[CosmicPathos]

Ok, lets not make it a war thread. Not all doctors go into medicine for money but just like every other profession, there are rotten eggs. I personally know of a student, who does not deserve to be a medical doctor, based on how he played around with extracurriculars on his resume and faked them, and how immoral he was with peers, not his professors or people in authority of course because they are the ones who play the cards! I know that. My colleagues know that. But where is he? Sitting in medical school over a seat which should have been given to someone who was worthy of it. I digress.

You incur considerably less debts in Canada as a medical student, under $80 k if you dont live lavishly in med school, so yes, there is an impetus of greed here which some are unfortunately willing to pursue.

 

[islamirama]

It is amazing the hardship people endure only to be begrudged some basic respect out of having applied themselves in lieu of wallowing how others have it better.

Don't worry, no one is jealous here nor do i think others have it "better" here, in fact i feel sorry for them for having no life thanks to their profession. I can easily make as much as them if not more as an IT professional and still have a social life. I have yet to meet one doctor that was practicing it for purely for goodness of humanity. yea they go through all that training but at the same time they are thinking of the long term benefits of all the money they will be making, the status they will have in society, and what not. Trust me, i've seen enough doctors in my life to know how most of them go. You may have had daydreams come true of becoming the doc so you can "save the world", i'm sure most kids think like that too but most doctors don't.

 

[جوري]

Don't worry, no one is jealous here nor do i think others have it "better" here, in fact i feel sorry for them for having no life thanks to their profession. Yet sadly, I have yet to meet one doctor that was practicing it for purely for goodness of humanity. yea they go through all that training but at the same time they are thinking of the long term benefits of all the money they will be making, the status they will have in society, and what not. Trust me, i've seen enough doctors in my life to know how most of them go. You may have had daydreams come true of becoming the doc so you can "save the world", i'm sure most kids think like that too but most doctors don't.

the 10 or 20 people you 'know' don't account for 'most' doctors. I never said you were jealous as I personally can't think of a thing to be jealous of. But not giving people their due rights and respect is neither Islamic nor really a fair perspective!

It is unfortunate that you are surrounded or frequented the services of people you don't trust, maybe you should consider if you too played a part in that.
saving the world or making money aren't the only aspects of medicine, I personally don't think there is all that much money compared to how much later in life you start and that you are making the equivocal of a guy flipping burgers during your residency. You might consider that folks simply go in it because they actually enjoy what they do!

 

[CosmicPathos]

Don't worry, no one is jealous here nor do i think others have it "better" here, in fact i feel sorry for them for having no life thanks to their profession. Yet sadly, I have yet to meet one doctor that was practicing it for purely for goodness of humanity. yea they go through all that training but at the same time they are thinking of the long term benefits of all the money they will be making, the status they will have in society, and what not. Trust me, i've seen enough doctors in my life to know how most of them go. You may have had daydreams come true of becoming the doc so you can "save the world", i'm sure most kids think like that too but most doctors don't.

I would not say all practicing doctors or medical students are like that, I've met some genuinely nice people. But most are arrogant and will try to downplay your knowledge and informed criticism of their diagnoses, specially my family doctor (he is indian btw and probably an IMG) who probably thinks I am from some village. Being aware of several cases where people were infected by prions and got CJD from medical instruments in Canda, when I try to ask any doc before he puts anything in my orifice that if it is free of prions, he freaking laughs away as I am some dumb idiot ...

 

[islamirama]

I would not say all practicing doctors or medical students are like that, I've met some genuinely nice people. But most are arrogant and will try to downplay your knowledge and informed criticism of their diagnoses, specially my family doctor (he is indian btw and probably an IMG) who probably thinks I am from some village.

Key word here is MOST, which is what i'm saying. Our sky girl here maybe the exception but no need for her to defend the whole medical field nor try to belittle my opinion of the reality of this field by assuming i've met "10 to 20" docs in my whole life and everyone else i know.

 

[Sampharo]

If there was negligence, then an investigation by a neutral regulatory body should be made, and I believe disciplinary or permanent de-licensing are appropriate actions to take if the negligence is proven.

Yes it must be traumatic to learn you lost your body part for nothing, but that is only perceptive loss, as the person would have been grateful had the cancer been real. People lose loved ones, and get diseases that take away their limbs, and they should persevere and get over their pain and accept their life challenge.

There's no sense in looking for opportunities at getting back at other humans, and using nothing but money to exact that retaliation. Monetizing everything including human emotions and body parts is nasty, and honestly it is becoming too common. If we reduce our lives and bodies and emotions to monetary terms, then the worst will happen: it will BECOME nothing more than dollar values.

My father died in the hospital, and there was apparent negligence from the ICU doctor. He was fired I believe, and the director was disciplined, but some still asked me whether I should sue the hospital. The hospital didn't kill him, and neither did the doctor, God did through the inaction of the doctor. The answer was a definite no to the civil suit. Not just because it is haraam in Islam, but because it also would put a price tag on the toe of that dead man.

I will not hold the woman in the article to Islamic standards if she's not muslim, but she needs to be held at fairness and human standards, and that is suing for monetary damages should be for businesses against other businesses to replace losses caused by deliberate wrongful actions, not compensation for suffering brought about by human error, even a negligent one.

 

[cat eyes]

how on earth did he become a surgeon?? collect 10crisp packets or something

What are these people doing operating on people when they are not even cancerous. how could anybody make that mistake or do they just set out to ruin peoples lives

i have a feeling that lady is going to get a load of money

 

[zana]

u cant trust any1 these days can u......................