Hospitals

Lawsuit claims Cleveland Clinic botched prostate surgery

A retired Air Force colonel from the Dayton, Ohio area has filed a lawsuit against […]

A retired Air Force colonel from the Dayton, Ohio area has filed a lawsuit against the Cleveland Clinic, alleging that a botched prostate surgery at the hospital has left him impotent and incontinent.

At issue is who performed a robotic surgery to remove Col. David Antoon’s cancerous prostate gland — an experienced surgeon or a doctor-in-training. Antoon maintains he signed a consent form authorizing only an experienced physician to perform the surgery, the Plain Dealer reported. However, the lawsuit alleges that the experienced surgeon either wasn’t present for the surgery, or the surgeon merely observed a doctor-in-training perform the procedure.

The Clinic shot back that Antoon’s lawsuit “contains numerous inaccuracies and we plan to fully respond in the course of the litigation.” The statement didn’t address the issue of who performed the surgery.

“We regret Col. Antoon’s outcome, as it was the result of a recognized complication,” the Clinic’s statement said.

In any case, during the surgery, “something went terribly wrong” and Antoon “was rendered incontinent of urine and permanently impotent,” Antoon alleges. Further, the suit alleges that a Clinic ombudsman told Antoon that one of the doctors-in-training said he didn’t recall the experienced surgeon participating in the procedure.

Antoon claims he requested the Clinic provide him with a video recording of his surgery, but his requests have been ignored. The lawsuit charges the hospital and doctors with medical negligence and interference with evidence, among other claims.

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