FRI: Another frivolous lawsuit!

From: DoctorJoe@aol.com
Wed Jul 16 10:22:56 2003

Glad this wasn't an OB-GYN....

Joe P. 

--


HILO, Hawaii (AP) -- A surgeon accused of inserting a piece of a
screwdriver into a patient's spine, instead of a titanium rod, has been
sued for malpractice.


Rosalinda Iturralde, the sister of the patient who died last month, filed
suit against Dr. Robert Ricketson. It was at least the eighth time
Ricketson has been sued for malpractice, attorneys said.


According to the suit, filed Monday, when Arturo Iturralde underwent spine
surgery in 2001, Ricketson had already had his medical license suspended in
Oklahoma and revoked in Texas. His license was under review in Hawaii.


After the surgery began, the lawsuit claims, the doctor realized the rod he
planned to insert was missing. The plaintiff says Ricketson used a hacksaw
to cut a stainless steel screwdriver, then tightened it into place in the
patient's spine.


Days later, the screwdriver snapped in half and Iturralde again underwent
surgery for its removal. A nurse who later found it in the trash notified
the family, attorneys said.


Iturralde underwent more surgeries, but eventually became a paraplegic.


Rosalinda Iturralde contends her brother died June 18 at age 76 because of
complications from the surgery.


Efforts to find an address or phone number for Ricketson, 48, were
unsuccessful. He applied for a medical license in Kansas last year, but
later withdrew the application.



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