NEW ORLEANS – A woman is suing LSU Health Science center and her physician claiming that her physician's failure to secure parts of her jaw after surgery caused her to have her mouth wired shut for more than a month.
Krystal Boykin filed suit against LSU Health Science Center—New Orleans and Hugo St. Hilaire, M.D. in the Orleans Parish First Civil District Court on May 27.
The plaintiff asserts that she had a history of chronic sleep apnea and was referred to the defendant physician for a possible surgical procedure to address this issue on Sept.12, 2011. Following an evaluation from the defendant, she was recommended for a bilateral mandibular osteotomy with the aims of treating her apnea. The surgery was performed on March 26, 2012, at Ochsner Medical center. A post-surgical CT scan indicated that the mandibular osteotomy was incomplete and the plaintiff alleges that a follow-up surgery did not fix the problem. She asserts that her mouth was wired shut for four to six weeks after she was discharged. Despite complying with the defendant's suggestions and instruction, the plaintiff claims that her jaw did not articulate and her teeth were unable to meet in order that she could chew any food, resulting in rapid weight loss.
The defendant is accused of breaching the standard of care in failing to get informed consent of the risks associated with the surgery performed, failing to disclose alternative treatment modalities, failing to properly diagnose, care for and treat the plaintiff's medical condition and post-surgical complications and improperly implanting the surgical devices into the plaintiff's mandible.
The plaintiff is seeking an unspecified amount in damages for continued pain and suffering, scarring and disfigurement, permanent disability, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment of life and past and future medical bills.
The plaintiff is represented by M. Suzanne Montero and Warren A. Forstall, Jr. of New Orleans-based Law Offices of Warren A. Forstall Jr., LLC
This case has been assigned to Div. A Judge Tiffany G. Chase
Case no. 2015-05017.