MDLinxPatient Dies Due to Alleged Negligence: How Did a ‘Relatively Safe’ Procedure Turn Tragic?

A lawsuit filed against the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and Dr. Ravi Veeraswamy details a series of post-operative complications following a catheterization surgery that resulted in patient death. The case highlights critical gaps in post-operative monitoring, communication between care teams, and response to patient symptoms following what was intended to be a routine procedure.

Key Points:

• The initial procedure involved coil embolization of the celiac artery, which resulted in compromised blood flow to GI organs – a complication not recognized at the time of surgery. Staff subsequently dismissed patient symptoms including sharp pains, fatigue, acid reflux, pain when eating, lack of appetite, and absence of bowel movements.
• Post-operative timeline revealed multiple hospital visits: initial UTI diagnosis at 10 days post-surgery, emergency room visit for compromised blood flow diagnosis at 3 weeks, unsuccessful catheterization attempt at 5 weeks, and final corrective surgery at 8 weeks post-initial procedure.
• Critical delays in addressing complications occurred due to C. difficile infection and suspected blood infection, pushing back corrective surgical interventions. The final procedure attempted to restore blood flow by rerouting a leg vein to the abdomen.
• Documentation shows the treating physician acknowledged being contacted about complications but dismissed them as routine gallbladder surgery concerns, despite the patient’s deteriorating condition.
• The case joins other recent MUSC litigation, including a September 2024 lawsuit regarding misplaced spinal surgery screws and a June 2024 case involving improper care leading to a vegetative state in a teenage patient.

“Individually, a series of mistakes were made by MUSC physicians and staff that resulted in Billingsley’s pain, suffering, death. As a result, Ms. Billingsley suffered from surgical complications that ultimately led to her death.”
— Billingsley, et al. vs MUSC, et al. documents

Malpractice Summaries