Daniel E. Holloway
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Fibroid and Pelvic Wellness Center complaint alleges missed blood thinners before DVT and pulmonary embolisms

The complaint alleges that a patient had a documented history of deep-vein thrombosis. She saw Dr. Nidhi Shah De for heavy uterine bleeding and Dr. Soyini Hawkins for urinary incontinence. They scheduled her for a robotic hysterectomy and a bladder sling. A pre-operative note documented her clotting history and said she might need heparin before surgery. Neither physician prescribed a blood thinner before or after her October 2, 2023 operation. Days later she developed a deep-vein thrombosis, then pulmonary embolisms in both lungs. She continues treatment with a vascular surgeon and a hematologist.

System
Fibroid and Pelvic Wellness Center of Georgia
Facility
Fibroid and Pelvic Wellness Center of Georgia
Providers involved
Soyini Hawkins, MD / Nidhi Shah De, MD / Hawkins, MD, LLC, d/b/a Fibroid and Pelvic Wellness Center of Georgia / Arisen Ventures, LLC
Pattern
Alleged failure to prescribe blood thinners before and after pelvic surgery despite a documented clotting history
Harm
Alleged deep-vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary embolisms requiring ongoing vascular and hematology care

Overview

This page concerns a public complaint alleging that two physicians did not prescribe blood thinners for a patient with a known clotting history. It alleges she then developed a deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms after her surgery.

Chronology

The complaint alleges as follows:

  1. Before presenting to the clinic, the patient had a documented history of deep-vein thrombosis and had taken coumadin for three months.
  2. On June 6, 2023, Dr. De recommended a robotic hysterectomy for heavy uterine bleeding without discussing the patient’s clotting history.
  3. On July 18, 2023, Dr. Hawkins scheduled a bladder sling for incontinence without discussing the patient’s clotting history.
  4. On September 25, 2023, a pre-operative note documented her DVT history for the first time and said she might need heparin before surgery.
  5. Dr. Hawkins entered standard pre-operative orders that day without a blood thinner.
  6. On October 2, 2023, the patient had the surgery; no blood thinner was ordered or given before or after it.
  7. She was discharged October 4, 2023, and returned October 9, 2023 with leg swelling; an ultrasound confirmed a deep-vein thrombosis.
  8. On October 12, 2023, with worsening leg pain and new upper-back pain, she went to another ER. A chest CT and repeat leg ultrasound found pulmonary embolisms in both lungs and a large left-leg clot.

Alleged failures

The complaint alleges the following failures:

  • Dr. De and Dr. Hawkins knew about the patient’s documented history of deep-vein thrombosis before her surgery.
  • Neither physician prescribed an anticoagulant before or after the hysterectomy and bladder-sling procedure, despite that history.
  • The complaint alleges this failure breached the standard of care and caused her deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms.
  • The complaint pleads medical malpractice against Dr. Hawkins and Dr. De. It pleads vicarious liability against Hawkins, MD, LLC and Arisen Ventures, LLC, and attaches an expert affidavit under O.C.G.A. § 9-11-9.1.

Entities and tags

Fibroid and Pelvic Wellness Center of GeorgiaHawkins, MD, LLC, d/b/a Fibroid and Pelvic Wellness Center of GeorgiaArisen Ventures, LLCSoyini Hawkins, MDNidhi Shah De, MDDeep-vein thrombosisPulmonary embolismDeKalb CountyMedication errorCardiac and vascular emergenciesPost-operative complicationsObstetrics and gynecologyGynecologic surgeryHematology