Daniel E. Holloway
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Memorial Health complaint alleges bypass-graft occlusion and leg amputations after vascular surgery

The complaint alleges that a 69-year-old patient with peripheral vascular disease underwent a left femoral to posterior tibial bypass performed by P. Kevin Beach, MD and was discharged home two days later without antiplatelet or anticoagulant medication. He returned by ambulance days afterward with a cool, mottled leg, imaging showed an occluded graft, and he was transferred to Memorial Health University Medical Center. A below-knee amputation followed, the stump became infected, and removal of infected grafts and an above-knee amputation followed three weeks later.

System
Memorial Health University Medical Center
Facility
Memorial Health University Medical Center
Providers involved
Savannah Health Services, LLC d/b/a Memorial Health University Medical Center / Southeast Georgia Health System, Inc. / Savannah Vascular Institute, LLC / P. Kevin Beach, MD / Justin B. Brown, MD / Bakhtiar Chaudry, MD
Pattern
Alleged unnecessary and improperly performed lower-extremity bypass surgery followed by an alleged discharge without antiplatelet or anticoagulant medication
Harm
Alleged graft occlusion, below-knee amputation, stump infection, and above-knee amputation

Overview

This page concerns a public complaint alleging that a lower-leg bypass operation was unnecessary and that the care that followed led to below-knee and above-knee amputations.

Chronology

The complaint alleges as follows:

  1. P. Kevin Beach, MD saw the patient in Brunswick on June 6, 2024 for calf pain and diagnosed peripheral vascular disease.
  2. Dr. Beach performed an aortogram on June 18, 2024 and a left femoral to posterior tibial bypass on August 26, 2024.
  3. He was discharged home from Southeast Georgia Health System on August 28, 2024 and returned to its emergency department by ambulance on August 31, 2024 with a cool, mottled leg.
  4. CT angiography showed an occluded graft and the patient was transferred to Memorial Health University Medical Center, where Justin B. Brown, MD performed further bypass surgery with Bakhtiar Chaudry, MD assisting.
  5. A left below-knee amputation was performed on September 3, 2024, the stump was debrided for infection on September 20, 2024, and an above-knee amputation followed on September 24, 2024.

Alleged failures

The complaint alleges the following failures:

  • Dr. Beach failed to perform a proper history, performed an unnecessary arteriogram, and performed a bypass that was not indicated.
  • Dr. Beach allowed a discharge home without ensuring the patient was on proper antiplatelet and anticoagulant medication.
  • Dr. Chaudry failed to properly perform the below-knee amputation, which the complaint says led to stump infection and the need for an above-knee amputation.
  • Dr. Brown ordered or allowed a September 6, 2024 discharge with a stump the filing describes as set up for infection and failure.
  • The physicians’ conduct is imputed to the hospital and vascular practice entities as their employers, and the complaint states that an expert affidavit under O.C.G.A. § 9-11-9.1 is attached.

Entities and tags

Memorial Health University Medical CenterSoutheast Georgia Health System, Inc.Savannah Vascular Institute, LLCPeripheral vascular diseaseFemoral to posterior tibial bypassPTFE graftCritical limb ischemiaBelow-knee amputationAbove-knee amputationSavannah, GeorgiaSurgical errorPost-operative complicationsPremature dischargeAmputationVascular surgeryGeneral surgeryEmergency medicinePost-operative care