Woman says botched hysterectomy led to more surgeries

CHARLESTON - A Jackson County woman has filed a medical malpractice suit against the physician who performed a hysterectomy on her in 2006, claiming post-operative complications caused her to undergo more surgeries.

Teresa McComas filed the suit July 3 in Kanawha Circuit Court against physician Marsha Funderbunk Granese and Charleston Area Medical Center.

The suit also names Larry Dean McComas, Teresa's husband, and Stephanie, Lacey, Hannah and Jesse McComas, their children, as plaintiffs.

According to the suit, Teresa McComas was admitted to CAMC on May 5, 2006, to undergo a hysterectomy, which was performed by Granese.

"Shortly after this operation, a fistula developed between the colon and vagina of Ms. McComas," the suit says. "This fistula was not a known risk of the operation and was a result of the negligence of Dr. Granese and employees of CAMC in their performance of the hysterectomy."

The suit says that after McComas discovered the fistula, Granese left the state and McComas had difficulty finding a physician to correct the problem.

McComas claims the negligence of Granese and other employees at CAMC contributed to her pain and suffering.

She, through attorney Andrew Paternostro, seeks compensatory and punitive damages. The case has been assigned to Judge Irene Berger.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number 07-C-1351