NEED TO KNOW
- Jeffrey Fulcher died after undergoing surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina
- According to a lawsuit, he had complained of pain in his abdomen for days before it was discovered that a blade had been left in his body
- South Carolina’s Insurance Reserve Fund has now paid $1 million to Fulcher’s estate
South Carolina has paid $1 million to the estate of a man who died within days of it being discovered a blade was left in his body during surgery.
On June 15, 2022, Jeffrey Fulcher underwent what was supposed to be a “minimally invasive” surgery to remove part of his esophagus, after being diagnosed with localized carcinoma in the lower part of his esophagus, according to Cleveland 19 News and WCSC.
During the surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina [MUSC], a Thompson retractor blade “fell into or was placed inside Fulcher’s abdominal cavity,” the outlets reported, citing documents from a lawsuit.
Dr. Ian Rosenzweig, who recommended the surgery and operated on Fulcher, failed to see or remove” the blade before closing his body. In the two days following, doctors insisted that Fulcher was “doing well” despite his complaints of abdomen pain.
Fulcher’s family noted a “decline in his condition” during a hospital visit on June 19, 2022, while his heart rate was also monitored at over 100 beats per minute.
An X-ray was eventually ordered for Fulcher along with a radiology report stating a medical emergency requiring immediate intervention, Cleveland News 19 reported, citing the lawsuit.
It wasn’t until five days after the initial surgery that the retractor blade was detected in the father-of-three’s body, according to the outlet.
Fulcher’s wife received a call from Rosenzweig allegedly explaining that her husband would need to undergo a “quick-twenty-minute” surgical procedure to remove the blade.
Over six hours after the blade was detected, an exploratory laparotomy was performed on Fulcher to remove his entire colon. He also had a second emergency procedure to detect possible bowel ischemia, per Cleveland 19 News.
The blade had perforated Fulcher’s colon, causing severe pain. He died at 2:30 p.m. local time on June 21, 2022.
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Fulcher’s cause of death was determined to be sepsis, peritonitis and colonic perforation, along with the instrument left in his body during surgery, per Cleveland 19 News.
The Medical University of South Carolina was declared responsible for Fulcher’s death in the lawsuit, citing gross negligence and willful in violation of their duties, according to the outlet.
PEOPLE has contacted the Medical University of South Carolina for comment.
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