A 54-year-old woman was left paralyzed after a surgery conducted at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and recently filed a $15 million medical malpractice claim against the institution.
In 2014, doctors discovered meningiomas (benign tumors) within the thin layers of tissue covering her brain and spinal cord. After doctors recommended removing one of the tumors, the woman underwent surgery without proper informed consent.
During surgery, doctors negligently cut the woman’s middle cerebral artery, which is one of three major arteries that supplies blood to the brain, causing a stroke. As a result, the woman was paralyzed on the right side of her body. She was left unable to speak, swallow, or control her bowels and bladder.
More on the case can be found here.