Huron (S.D.) Regional Medical Center officials and surgeons from its orthopedic institute are denying they failed to treat a patient who was later left severely disabled, according to the Argus Leader.
Here are five observations:
1. After tripping on a rug, a male patient came to the hospital June 9, 2016, seeking pain relief, according to a lawsuit filed by the patient. Huron Regional Medical Center admitted the patient and scheduled an MRI for the following day.
2. The MRI revealed the patient suffered from a herniated disc obstructing his spinal cord. The lawsuit claims an emergency room physician contacted orthopedic surgeon Matt McKenzie, MD, who recommended surgery could wait another day.
3. The patient was already scheduled to undergo spine surgery on June 23, 2016. The patient was transferred to Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D. A neurosurgeon at the hospital diagnosed the patient with cauda equine syndrome.
Surgeons at Avera McKenna Hospital performed emergency decompression surgery. The patient remains in rehabilitation and is still disabled, according to the lawsuit.
4. In a statement, the orthopedic institute said Dr. McKenzie never spoke with an emergency physician or recommended the surgery be pushed back.
5. Huron Regional Medical Center in a separate statement said the patient's medical records "state that plaintiff's surgeon told HRMC ER staff that the surgeon thought it would be ok to wait and transfer the plaintiff to Sioux Falls on Monday, June 13, 2016," according to the Argus Leader.