Kaiser Botched Cataract Surgery, Woman Claims
3-17-2015 23:13:00


BALTIMORE (CN) - A Kaiser doctor incorrectly placed a new lens in a woman’s eye, causing permanent damage, she claims in Baltimore County Circuit Court.

     Barbara Hess sued Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc., Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, P.C. and Nancy Huynh, M.D. for negligence and failure to obtain informed consent. Her husband, Donald Hess, sued for loss of consortium.
     According to the lawsuit, when Dr. Huynh performed cataract surgery on Barbara Hess in Sept. 2013, she improperly inserted an intraocular lens into Hess’ left eye, allowing it to touch the cornea.
     According to the health website webMD.com, an intraocular lens is a man-made lens used to replace the patient’s natural lens when a cataract is removed.
     “After the procedure, Mrs. Hess was ultimately referred to other physicians and the lens was found to be out of place, with the haptic of the lens contacting the cornea. Surgery was required to remove the intraocular lens . . . Unfortunately, Mrs. Hess had already sustained permanent injury to her eye,” the complaint states. [Detailed description of the surgery has been omitted.]
     Hess accuses Huynh of breaching the standard of care by: “Failing to properly perform cataract surgery; improperly inserting and positioning an intraocular lens; failing to use proper surgical technique; failing to properly secure an intraocular lens; improperly deploying the haptics on the intraocular lens; failing to protect the cornea from trauma; failing to otherwise properly treat Mrs. Hess; failing to obtain appropriate consultations; failing to obtain Mrs. Hess’ informed consent; failing to inform Mrs. Hess that more experienced and qualified ophthalmologists were available to perform cataract surgery; failing to inform Mrs. Hess of past injuries and/or bad outcomes regarding prior patients who had cataract surgery performed by the defendants; and failing to otherwise comply with accepted standards of care.”
     Barbara and Donald Hess seek a jury trial and judgment in excess of $30,000 for each cause of action. They are represented by Thomas C. Cardaro, Jeffrey L. Peek and C. Drew Fritch of Cardaro & Peek in Baltimore.
03-C-15-000441