Overview

This page concerns a St. Francis surgical case in which an initial rectal lesion had been completely excised with clear margins, but a later major colon surgery allegedly was unnecessary and was followed by an anastomotic leak, fecal peritonitis, delayed source control, lack of immediate postoperative antibiotics, and fatal sepsis.

System St. Francis Health
Fact pattern Unnecessary colon surgery followed by delayed diagnosis and treatment of an anastomotic leak
Alleged harm Multi-organ failure and death

Chronology

  1. Andrew Cole underwent TAMIS in November 2019 to remove a large rectal lesion, and pathology confirmed the lesion was completely excised with clear margins.
  2. Despite those findings, Dr. William Taylor recommended that Andrew undergo a major lower anterior resection just a few weeks later, and Andrew followed that recommendation.
  3. During the LAR, Dr. Taylor encountered several complications, including an anastomotic leak that required hand-sewn repair; after surgery, Andrew developed an anastomotic leak that led to fecal peritonitis.
  4. Over the next few days, drainage allegedly showed the fecal leak, but Dr. Taylor and the intensivists failed to promptly diagnose it, failed to achieve timely surgical source control, and failed to provide immediate postoperative antibiotics before Andrew died from multi-organ failure due to sepsis.

Alleged failures

Dr. William Taylor allegedly recommended a major lower anterior resection despite pathology showing the earlier lesion was completely excised with clear margins.

Dr. Taylor and the intensivists allegedly failed to promptly diagnose an evident anastomotic leak and obtain timely surgical source control.

Hospital staff allegedly failed to treat Andrew with antibiotics in the immediate postoperative period before fatal sepsis developed.

Entities

St. Francis Health, LLCDr. William TaylorTAMISLower anterior resectionAnastomotic leakFecal peritonitisIntensivists
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