A man who suffered pain and serious infection for a year after a surgical procedure is suing two doctors and their practice and/or supervising medical institution for allegedly misdiagnosing his condition.
Maurice Thompson filed a complaint on July 29 in Cook County Circuit Court against Dr. Todd McCall, individually and working for defendant OSF Healthcare System, doing business as Illinois Neurological Institute; OSF St. Luke Medical Center, doing business as OSF St. Luke Medical Center and formerly known as Kewanee Hospital; and Dr. Michael Ahearn.
On May 17, 2013, Thompson underwent a surgery called a sacral cyst excision by McCall, followed by a stay at St. Luke Medical Center of more than a week.
Throughout the fall, Thompson developed pain and drainage where the surgery took place, the lawsuit states; the pain radiated to both hips. McCall prescribed Augmentin and other medications to treat the pain and infection.
During all this time, the lawsuit states, McCall knew that Thompson had Type 2 diabetes, which put him at risk for developing methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aereus (MRSA) or lumbar staph ostoemyelitis (LSO).
In September, the lawsuit states, Thompson learned through his records that he'd been diagnosed with either MRSA or LSO, and not just "a superficial wound infection," as McCall allegedly informed him.
On Oct. 7, 2013, Thompson was seen by his family doctor, Ahearn, and was told for the first time he actually had MRSA or LSO, the lawsuit states. From May 2013 to May 2014, the lawsuit states, he continued to get treatment from the defendants, "yet was not relieved of his (symptoms) and continues to suffer from the effects of the defendants' collective failure to diagnose and treat his condition." Never was he referred to a specialist, the lawsuit states.
The plaintiff, citing three counts of medical negligence, seeks damages of more than $150,000, plus costs.
The plaintiff is represented by the Hoag Law Group in Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 2015L007716.