A man is suing Saint Luke's Health System for medical malpractice after a procedure for his wife's blocked arteries was unsuccessful and she died three days later, court records show.
The civil lawsuit filed March 21 by Melvin Carey in Jackson County Circuit Court alleges doctors at Saint Luke's East Hospital were negligent during and after a medical procedure, causing complications that led to his wife's death.
According to the lawsuit, Diana Carey was admitted to Saint Luke's Hospital in Lee's Summit March 20, 2023, for foot pain due to blocked arteries and a wound on her foot.
A doctor did a procedure in an attempt to improve her blood flow, but it was unsuccessful, the lawsuit claims.
Following the procedure, Diana Carey's blood pressure was taken and read 150/114, the lawsuit claims. Despite her apparent hypertension, a doctor cleared Diana Carey to be taken to a regular hospital floor instead of continuing intensive monitoring, according to the lawsuit.
Shortly after Diana Carey returned to her room, she experienced low blood sugar and appeared pale and confused, the lawsuit claims. Hospital staff allegedly found her to be sweating heavily, hypertensive and had a rapid heartbeat, according to the lawsuit.
Due to her worsening condition, she was transferred to an intensive care unit. She had to be intubated, sedated and placed on mechanical ventilation, the lawsuit reads.
A CT scan of Diana Carey's abdomen showed a bowel perforation and what doctors suspected was lack of blood flow to the intestines, the lawsuit said.
Physicians determined on March 22, 2023, that surgical intervention was not a viable option for the bowel perforation. The hospital continued supportive treatment for Diana Carey until March 24, when she was extubated and died.
"As a direct and proximate result of the carelessness and negligence of (the defendants), (Diana Carey) suffered bodily injury, great physical pain and mental anguish... and death, and (Melvin Carey) has suffered mental anguish," the lawsuit reads.
The lawsuit claims medical errors happened during the procedure, which led to the bowel perforation. It also claims doctors failed to properly diagnose and respond to Diana Carey's complications after the procedure.
Doctors improperly cleared her for discharge to a regular hospital room when she needed closer monitoring, the lawsuit claims. Doctors failing to recognize her deteriorating condition led to septic shock and acute respiratory failure, the lawsuit claims.
The lawsuit also claims the hospital failed to have or implement proper policies and procedures to prevent the alleged negligence by the doctors.
The lawsuit claims a loss for chance of survival and a more favorable outcome.
Legal representation for Melvin Carey and Saint Luke's did not immediately respond to The Star's requests for comment. A spokesperson for the hospital declined to comment on the litigation Wednesday.
Melvin Carey is seeking compensation exceeding $25,000 for medical costs, emotional suffering and the loss of his spouse's companionship.
He is also demanding a jury trial for the case, court records show.