An Illinois man who underwent surgery to remove a salivary gland tumor is suing the hospital where the procedure was done, the surgeon who performed it, and a medical device company claiming he now has facial nerve paralysis after the doctor struck a facial nerve, according to a story in the Madison St. Clair Record.
Ralph Wellmaker of Brooklyn, IL, filed the lawsuit May 23 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Touchette Regional Hospital; Lloyd Thompson, MD; and Medtronic, the company that manufactures a nerve monitoring system used during the procedure to reduce the risk of nerve damage.
After being diagnosed with a right parotid gland tumor that was growing, Dr. Thompson recommended that Wellmaker undergo a parotidectomy, according to the complaint. Dr. Thompson used Medtronic's NIM nerve monitoring system during the procedure, but the system allegedly failed to function properly and Dr. Thompson sliced through the nerve, the complaint stated.
As a result, Wellmaker developed facial nerve paralysis, is unable to blink his right eye, and had to undergo facial nerve repair, the complaint stated. He is seeking a judgment of more than $300,000, plus costs, according to the news report.
