Med mal suit filed against Heart Hospital

An Indiana woman has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against a Louisiana hospital after her husband died following bypass surgery.

Annette Mogabgab filed the malpractice lawsuit against Jeffrey Stein and The Louisiana Medical Center and Heart Hospital on Aug. 30 in federal court in New Orleans.

According to court records, Stephen Mogabgab underwent a successful five vessel coronary artery bypass grafting on Oct. 2, 2007. Less than two days later, he was exhibiting signs of cardiac compromise but the nursing staff allegedly failed to notify a physician.

The condition was discovered by Mogabgab's cardiologist who ordered an echocardiogram and made plans for emergency surgery, the suit claims. However, while being intubated, Mogabgab suffered cardiac arrest that required prolonged open heart massage. According to his wife's allegations, he never recovered and succumbed to his injuries three weeks later.

The hospital's nurses are accused of medical malpractice by allegedly failing to notify the appropriate physicians of the patient's complaints, failing to observe and monitor the patient's condition, failing to follow physician's orders, failing to notice the patient's condition was deteriorating, failing to notify a physician that Mogabgab's blood pressure dropped and failing to adequately diagnose.

Defendant Stein, a licensed nurse practitioner, is accused of providing care that fell below the applicable standard of care by failing to notice the patient's decreasing cardiac output, failing to properly diagnose, failing to notice the excessive amount of fluid, failing to notice the patient's condition was deteriorating, failing to follow up with patient and failing to order a echocardiogram.

Mogabgab is seeking damages for her husband's pain and suffering, fear of imminent death and for her grief, mental anguish, suffering, loss of future support, loss of consortium, service society, medical and burial expenses, interest and court costs.

Mogabgab is represented by Thomas Corrington and Heather M. Murphy of The Corrington Law Firm in New Orleans.

U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle is assigned to the case.

Case No. 2:10cv02859