Wyoming Co. man blames surgery for more problems

BECKLEY -- A Wyoming County man is suing over claims a negligent surgery led to infection and further hospitalization.

Bruce E. Hatfield filed a lawsuit June 23 in Raleigh Circuit Court against Livio Romani M.D., West Virginia Vascular Institute PLLC and Appalachian Regional Healthcare Inc., doing business as Beckley ARH Hospital.

According to the complaint, Hatfield underwent a colectomy and ileostomy by Dr. Romani, an employee of West Virginia Vascular Institute, on Feb. 28, 2012, at Beckley ARH Hospital.

Hatfield says after the surgery, fluid began leaking from the surgical site, and on March 20, 2012, he was transferred to a long-term rehabilitation site, only to be transferred back to Beckley ARH four days later.

According to the lawsuit, Dr. Romani recorded Hatfield's condition after rehabilitation as having no issues, despite the leaking and the patient being septic.

On April 19, 2012, Romani performed an IVP before Hatfield was transferred to another hospital on April 21, 2012, where he continued to receive treatment through October 2012.

Romani is accused of failing to properly investigate the possibility of a ureteral injury during the surgery and failing to properly diagnose the injury after the operation, which led to the infection and further hospitalization.

Hatfield is seeking damages and medical costs.

He is being represented in the case by attorney Robert H. Miller II in Dunbar. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge John A. Hutchison.

Raleigh Circuit Court Case No. 14-C-612.