Couple files medical malpractice suit against hospital

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A Tallahassee woman and her husband have filed a lawsuit against Capital Regional Medical Center saying doctors performed unnecessary surgery on her that has led to health problems.

Norma and Frank Utermohlen filed the lawsuit Feb. 27. They are seeking an unspecified amount of damages.

According to the lawsuit, she was admitted to the hospital Jan. 4, 2006, for a heart attack. She had cardiac-bypass surgery five days later. While at the hospital, she contracted a bacterial infection that the couple says was misdiagnosed.

Her lawyer, Scott Gwartney, said at least one other patient in her unit had that kind of infection.

Doctors didn’t realize she had the infection and ended up removing part of her colon, Gwartney said. He said the surgery wasn’t necessary and that she now has health issues as a result of it.

The lawsuit also says she developed bed sores while she was in the hospital and that doctors could have prevented them.

Hospital officials have not yet commented on the lawsuit.

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