Surgeon removes wrong organ. Now, Fresno woman is suing and going back to operating room

The Fresno Bee via Yahoo ^ | 07/09/2022 | Jim Guy

[DFG]

A Fresno woman is seeking monetary damages after a doctor removed her spleen instead of a diseased kidney, a mistake that left a pathologist “astonished,” according to a lawsuit.

The woman, Sarajane Parfitt, must undergo another operation to take out the kidney, and the removal of the spleen leaves her vulnerable to serious infections, according to medical experts. The lawsuit, filed in Fresno County Superior Court in June, contends the mistake has caused Parfitt “severe emotional distress.”

Paul Pimentel, Parfitt’s attorney, called the surgical error “insane...I’ve never heard of this in this community.”

Named in the lawsuit are Dr. Narayana Ambati, Community Regional Medical Center and Urology Associates of Central California. Also mentioned is another doctor identified as Shahin Chandrasoma of Pasadena.

Efforts to reach Ambati were unsuccessful. Mike Ball, a partner in Fresno law firm McCormick, Barstow, responded to an inquiry by saying:

“The incident involving patient Parfitt was subject of a full (California Department of Public Health) investigation last summer. Dr Ambati was NOT involved in the nephrectomy. The surgeon actually was a locum tenens, Dr. Chandrasoma. He is not affiliated with UACC. Curiously, he is not named in the recent lawsuit, but he is mentioned in paragraphs 10 and 12. I do not know who represents Dr. Chandrasoma.”

[fhayek]

Lucy! You got some spleenin’ to do...!

[Hot Tabasco]

The surgeon actually was a locum tenens,

And I'm supposed to know what that is?

[Fungi]

An equal opportunity, affirmative action doctor.

[webheart]

Everyone knows what a locum tenens is. It’s a crazy tennis player.

[Leep]

I blame obama and biden.

[Vermont Lt]

I think it’s a “visiting” surgeon. Not a staff surgeon or someone with normal “rights” to work there.

[Hot Tabasco]

LOL!

[Huskrrrr]

A graduate of a online Medical school?

[anton]

He was very well respected in his country of origin.

[glorgau]

Spleen, kidney, whatever.

[KittyKares]

Someone didn’t study the kidney chapter in his biology book.

[Phoenix8]

I’ve been told (by an American nurse) the SE Asian medical schools are far more lax than ours. And partially the reason we are being flooded with Drs from That area.

[Sarcazmo]

Damn! I hope they kept it.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Yeah. This is a reason to sue.

And people thought I was crazy when I wrote NOT THIS ONE on my good shoulder when I when in for shoulder surgery.

[Sarcazmo]

XD XD

[Sarcazmo]

I always heard you should do that but thought it was a joke!

[PeterPrinciple]

The operation took place in June 2021. The mistake went undetected for several days until the kidney was examined after it was sent to a pathologist, according to court documents. The pathologist “was so astonished, he asked other pathologists to confirm his diagnoses.” Ultimately, all five pathologists agreed the organ submitted for examination and identified as a left kidney was in fact a spleen.

---

confirmed by committee........................

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

If you had a proper education that included Latin you would know what it meant. :)

A designated hitter is a locum tenens.

[Gay State Conservative]

The only major surgery I've ever had is two hip replacements,which were done at a major hospital.Both times the surgeon came in while I was waiting in pre-op and wrote "yes" on the hip to be replaced and "no" on the other hip. And this was a senior surgeon on the faculty of a major medical school.

Perhaps there's a lesson in that for physicians.surgeons in smaller towns.