WHEELING – A patient alleges surgeons removed his gall bladder and parts of his pancreas and stomach without first confirming a cancer diagnosis, making the procedures medically unnecessary.
Paul Kasprowski filed a complaint in Ohio Circuit Court against Dr. Howard Shackelford, Ohio Valley Surgeons Inc., Dr. Nitesh Ratnakar and Valley Gastroenterology & Endoscopy LLC alleging negligence, battery, liability and concealment.
Kasprowksi alleges he was treated for stomach issues and in late 2016 and early 2017 by his primary care physician and a biopsy was done in June 2017. The suit states Ratnakar read and reported the biopsy specimens.
On Sept. 18, 2017, the plaintiff underwent a Whipple procedure at Ohio Valley Surgeons performed by Shackelford with the removal of parts of several organs. The pathology of the organs and tissues removed showed "no cancer was determined to be present," according to the suit.
"The Whipple procedure and removal of organs and parts of organs was not medically necessary," the suit states.
Kasprowksi seeks compensatory damages, a trial by jury, interest, punitive damages against the defendants and all other just relief. He is represented by Donald Tennant Jr. of The Tennant Law Offices in Wheeling and Robert McCoid of The McCoid Law Offices PLLC of Wheeling.
The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge David Sims.
Ohio Circuit Court case number 19-C-237