Drs. Jashvantlal K. Thakkar and Edmundo E. Figueroa were named as defendants in the suit.
Allyn G. Turner, at the suggestion of Thakkar, underwent a cardiac catheterization procedure at St. Francis Hospital on Sept. 4, 2014, and, as a result of the procedure, Thakkar advised her that she was a candidate for cardiac coronary bypass surgery and referred her to Figueroa, according to a complaint filed in Kanawha Circuit Court.
Turner and Mark Toor claim on Sept. 5, 2014, Figueroa consulted with Turner at Charleston Area Medical Center and indicated that he and Thakkar believed she hadsignificant LAD and diagonal stenosis.
On Sept. 8, 2014, Turner underwent open heart surgery performed by Figueroa and had an aortocoronary saphenous vein bypass on three vessels, according to the suit. She was discharged on Sept. 14, 2014.
The plaintiffs claim after the surgery, Turner continued to have a number of problems and was treated in the emergency room at CAMC on Sept. 18, 2014, Oct. 7, 2014, Oct. 9, 2014, and Nov. 12, 2014.
On Dec. 4, 2014, Turner underwent another left heart catheterization, which determined that the PDA had a significant lesion at the junction of the previously performed coronary graft after the procedure of Figueroa, according to the suit.
The plaintiffs claim during the catheterization, it was impossible to cross the wall to the PDA and Turner was referred to a separate cardiologist, who ultimately performed a successful recanalization of the PDA in the AV groove posterior lateral branch of the RCA.
Turner was subsequently seen in the emergency room at CAMC four more times and, at that point, she requested to be transferred to Cleveland Clinic for further evaluation and, while at Cleveland, her cardiac condition was stable and she learned there was no evidence of any cardiac stenosis and that the last catheterization performed by the separate cardiologist was successful in reopening the right coronary artery, according to the suit.
The plaintiffs claim the defendants’ cardiac procedures were unnecessary, or were caused by the previously performed coronary bypass procedure performed by Figueroa.
Thakkar negligently, carelessly, recklessly, incompetently and in deviation from the normal standard of care, failed to properly care for Turner by improperly interpreting the results of the catheterization and improperly recommending and referring her to Figueroa, according to the suit.
The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages. They are being represented by Robert V. Berthold Jr. and Matthew C. Berthold of Berthold Law Firm PLLC.
The case is assigned to Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 16-C-827
