Second-shift doctor puts off preapproved Caesarean section

In August 2003, a patient, then 34, was expecting the birth of her first baby. All indications were for a normal vaginal delivery of a baby boy. Read more

Patient suffers fatal brain injury during heart surgery

The patient, a 39-year old husband and father of three, was experiencing symptoms including shortness of breath, fatigue and dizziness. An echocardiogram on Nov. 21, 2001 revealed 3+ aortic insufficiency. A cardiac catheterization showed normal coronary arteries. Read more

Man may have been discharged during heart attack

On Feb. 2, 2007, a patient, 54, was taken by ambulance from a walk-in clinic to the ER. He had a two-day history of increasing shortness of breath, fever and non-productive cough. Read more

Neurosurgeon wins harassment suit against hospital

A female neurosurgeon who specializes in spinal surgery was employed at Brigham and Women’s Hospital for six years. She was born in India. Read more

Woman ejected from stretcher, sustains fatal head wound

On May 18, 2005, a 71-year-old woman with end-stage renal disease was being transported by an ambulance company from her dialysis center to her home. Read more

Surgical team lacerates patient’s sciatic nerve

In 2005, the patient, 64, experienced increasing pain and stiffness in his right hip. He was evaluated by an orthopedic surgeon who determined that he was a candidate for total hip arthroplasty. Read more

Parents’ genetic defect permanently impairs child

The patient, a woman of Chinese descent, became pregnant and was transferred to the care of an obstetrician/gynecologist. At approximately six weeks of pregnancy, the OB/GYN performed a CBC which showed clear signs of a probable Thalassemia trait carrier (low hemoglobin, high red blood cell count and low mean corpuscular volume). Read more

Lahey agrees to $844K overbilling settlement

The Lahey Clinic has agreed to pay nearly $844,000 to settle allegations that it improperly billed the federal Medicare program from 2001 to 2005. Read more

Complications during spinal surgery lead to death

A 61-year-old female underwent spine surgery in 2005 to correct debilitating back pain, a result of scoliosis.
During the surgery, the patient suffered massive blood loss and life-threatening hemodynamic instability, which resulted in the transfusion by anesthesia of massive amounts of crystalloid and blood products. Read more

Surgeon wins $1.6 million sex bias verdict

A federal jury has found that a prominent neurosurgeon and Brigham and Women’s Hospital subjected a female surgeon to a hostile work environment and then retaliated against her when she complained.

On Feb. 24 jurors awarded $1.6 million in damages to Dr. Sagun Tuli, 39, who had complained for several years about discriminatory treatment by Dr. Arthur Day, 61, chairman of Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s neurosurgery department. Read more