The Huffington Post, Miami Herald and Local 10 have reported that a man is suing the anesthesiologist that put him under before an elective surgery for erectile dysfunction, as 9 days later the man began to suffer with gangrene that finally left him "without a functioning penis."
The argument in the case is whether or not the anesthesiologist or urologist is responsible to clear a patient prior to performing surgery. For the plaintiff, E.M., both are responsible and he is suing both in separate lawsuits.
Anesthesiologist Dr. L.B. is being sued by E.M. and his wife, G.M., for "tens of millions" in damages. The suit states that Dr. L.B. failed to accurately calculate the risks – namely E.M.'s diabetes – prior to the elective surgery.
E.M.'s pre-existing uncontrolled diabetes condition was what allegedly led to the harrowing complications he experienced following surgery.
In 2007 E.M. sought elective surgery for erectile dysfunction at Coral Gables Hospital.
Spencer Aronfeld, the couple's attorney, said that his client "didn't do this to have a bigger penis. This was because of medical reasons: He just wanted to have relations with his wife."
However, 9 days following the surgery, Aronfeld said his client developed an infection that turned gangrenous. Aronfeld said, "It turned into a flesh-eating bacteria that ate his penis centimeter by centimeter. And as a result of this, he has to spend the rest of his life without a functioning penis. He has to sit down to urinate, he'll never have any intimate relationships with anyone, and he's lost his manhood."
The urologist named in the couple's 2009 suit, Dr. P.P., is facing another case filed by a state prisoner that also lost his penis.
Aronfeld contends that Dr. L.B. is "the one and only person who cleared him for this surgery that day."
Another urologist not affiliated with the case, Dr. S.R., in 2009 told WSVN, "Diabetics, as such, are more prone to infections. He must have heard about that. People get gangrene, people get infections and abscesses everywhere, especially when the diabetes is not controlled. Now, in the face of a foreign body out there, this is heightened."
Dr. L.B. argued in court that an anesthesiologist is not the person that clears a patient for surgery; that is the urologist's responsibility. Dr. L.B. said, "I addressed a small period of time of contact with the patient, which is the preoperative period of time. My role is stopped when the epidural catheter...is out or the patient is out of recovery."
Jay Chimpoulis, the attorney representing Dr. L.B. said, "What happened to Mr. (E.M.) was just bad luck…"
The plaintiff will be giving his testimony to jurors via Skype. Due to a tip to Immigration and Naturalization Services, 40 year resident E.M. has been deported to Peru.
Being harmed instead of healed by any type of physician is grounds for a lawsuit. Begin to work to recover your damages when you contact a medical malpractice lawyer to file your case!