Cherokee County Detention Center complaint alleges failure to stop a priapism drug before permanent erectile dysfunction
The complaint alleges that the patient had taken Prazosin for nightmares before his December 2023 transfer to Cherokee County Adult Detention Center. On January 22, 2024 he developed a painful erection and was taken to Northside Hospital Cherokee’s emergency department. A physician diagnosed priapism, discharged him, and did not stop the Prazosin. A nurse practitioner then documented that no follow-up was needed despite urology and primary-care follow-up instructions. Staff kept giving him Prazosin through January 29, 2024, and his priapism recurred the next day. After further emergency care, he underwent surgical placement of a penile shunt. The complaint alleges proper care would have prevented the recurrence, and that the recurrence and its treatment caused permanent erectile dysfunction.
Overview
This page concerns a public complaint alleging that jail and hospital providers did not stop a priapism-causing drug. It also alleges jail staff did not arrange urology follow-up.
Chronology
The complaint alleges as follows:
- The patient was prescribed Prazosin nightly for nightmares on December 14, 2023. He continued taking it after his transfer to Cherokee County Adult Detention Center around December 22, 2023.
- On January 22, 2024 he reported an unrelieved, painful erection, and staff took him to Northside Hospital Cherokee’s emergency department that afternoon.
- Marie Tabuteau Howe, MD, diagnosed priapism, discharged him about ninety minutes later, and did not stop his Prazosin or warn it could recur.
- That evening, Julie-Ann Forbes, NP, reviewed discharge instructions calling for urology and primary-care follow-up within 1 to 2 days. She then documented that no follow-up was needed.
- Detention-center medical staff gave him Prazosin nightly through January 29, 2024, and he saw no urologist or primary-care provider.
- His priapism recurred on January 30, 2024. A nurse withheld a dose and consulted Heidi Klein, MD, who agreed to send him out for evaluation.
- After further emergency visits and hospital treatment through February 2, 2024, he underwent surgical placement of a penile shunt.
Alleged failures
The complaint alleges the following failures:
- Jail medical staff did not refer the patient to a urologist or primary-care provider within the days the discharge instructions required.
- Neither the jail providers nor the emergency physician told him to stop Prazosin until his hospital discharge on January 31, 2024. The complaint alleges Prazosin caused his priapism episodes.
- The complaint alleges the defendant entities negligently credentialed, trained, and supervised the practitioners who treated him.
- The complaint alleges that the delay in referral and in stopping the Prazosin caused his recurrent priapism and permanent erectile dysfunction.
- The complaint pleads medical malpractice, negligent credentialing, ordinary negligence, punitive damages, and litigation expenses. It attaches expert affidavits under O.C.G.A. § 9-11-9.1.