Plaintiff presented to a neurosurgeon for a consultation regarding protracted lower left extremity pain. An MRI was ordered. The neurosurgeon recommended a decompression laminectomy, bilateral facetectomies and discectomy on both sides.

Surgery was performed without adequate imaging to verify placement of the hardware. After surgery, plaintiff had complaints of residual numbness and a paresthesia in her right leg. She also demonstrated an antalgic gait in her right leg.

The neurosurgeon did not order radiological studies after surgery to confirm proper placement of the screws. The neurosurgeon placed S1 screws so they impinged into plaintiff’s nerve route.

The neurosurgeon failed to verify placement of plaintiff’s medical hardware during and following plaintiff’s surgery; neurosurgeon failed to have adequate post-operative imaging done following surgery; neurosurgeon failed to investigate plaintiff’s post-operative symptoms in a timely manner and failed to remove the displaced pedicle screw in a reasonable time following the surgery. Plaintiff has had two previous back surgeries.

Liability, causation and damages were highly contested. [16-T-178]