Patient Suffers Multiple Injuries from Botched Colonoscopy

Case Overview

This case takes place in Arkansas and involves a female patient who underwent a routine colonoscopy performed by the defending surgeon. No negative findings were evident in the procedure, though in the recovery area immediately following the procedure, the patient noted severe pain in her abdomen. The patient reported this to the surgeon, however the surgeon did not examine her further. No treatment or evaluation was made prior to the patient’s discharge. Several hours after her colonoscopy, the patient began experiencing increasing abdominal pain. She was advised to take an over-the-counter painkiller and proceed to an emergency room if the pain persisted. The patient later presented to the ER, where diagnostic studies revealed that she was experiencing severe internal bleeding. They found that her appendix had been ruptured. Following the surgery, the patient required an extended hospital stay. The plaintiff alleges that the appendix was ruptured during the course of her colonoscopy and there was a lack of follow-up treatment that may have mitigated her injuries.