Charleston physician sued for wrongful death

CHARLESTON -- A woman is suing a Charleston physician after the wrongful death of her brother.

Seth Adam Harris was admitted to Charleston Area Medical Center on June 5, 2007, for elective reversal of his ileostomy, according to a complaint filed Nov. 12 in Kanawha Circuit Court.

Tammy C. Good, Harris' sister and the Administratrix of his estate, claims Dr. Bryan K. Richmond performed the surgery and Harris initially did well post-surgery for the first two days.

According to the suit, on June 7, 2007, Harris spiked a fever and continued through the next days to have low-grade temperatures.

On June 9, 2007, a CT scan of Harris' abdomen was performed. Harris was found to have purulent drainage from the right lower quadrant of his abdomen and problems with renal function.

On June 14, 2007, Harris was given a gastrografin enema, which revealed he had an anastomotic leak and was taken into surgery June 15. According to the suit, during the surgery he was found to have a large amount of gastrointestinal contents contaminating his intra-abdominal cavity due to breakdown of the rectal anastomosis Richmond performed.

Harris' condition continued to deteriorate and more leakage was discovered in another surgery June 17. Harris died June 19.

Good is suing for compensatory damages for negligence. She is being represented by Timothy DiPiero and Heather M. Langeland of Di Trapano, Barrett & DiPiero.

The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Irene C. Berger.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 09-C-2119