Legal: Ureter injury after hysterectomy
Ureter injury after hysterectomy
A 36-year-old Kentucky woman underwent a total hysterectomy in 1998, performed by her gynecologist. A week after surgery, the patient continued to complain of right flank pain and a second operation revealed that the right kidney had atrophied and the ureter was injured. A nephrectomy was necessary.
The woman sued the gynecologist and claimed the loss of the kidney was due to the ureter injury during the hysterectomy. She claimed he should have protected the ureter during surgery and the injury should have been promptly identified.
The physician claimed the ureter was not injured during the surgery and that the patient had suffered a slow-developing ureter blockage. A $974,683 verdict was returned for the patient.
