Woman 'Accidentally' Has Double Mastectomy

[wally246]

wcbstv.com - Woman Undergoes Double Mastectomy Accidentally
Oct 3, 2007 11:31 am US/Eastern

Woman Undergoes Double Mastectomy Accidentally

Labeling Mix Up At L.I. Lab Being Blamed For Incident


(CBS) NEW YORK A Long Beach woman is suing a medical lab in Rye Brook after undergoing a double mastectomy it turned out she never needed in the first place.

Darrie Eason, a 35-year-old single mother, filed the lawsuit against CBLPath Inc. after learning she didn't have breast cancer following the operation.

Her attorney says she was the victim of a mix-up at the the CBLPath medical lab in Rye Brook. She filed a lawsuit in State Supreme Court in Mineola last month seeking an undisclosed sum of money.

A state report blames the mix-up on a technician who admitted cutting corners while labeling tissue specimens.

According to an article on CBLPath's Web site, the lab considers itself "the second opinion choice of many physicians throughout the country" after stressing the importance of making sure that sample results are correct.

It goes on to add: "At CBLPath we understand the value of having a second opinion and that is why every cancerous diagnosis is reviewed by at least two expert pathologists before being sent to your doctor."

CBLPath chief executive William Curtis said he was familiar with Eason’s case but could not speak about any of his company’s patients because of federal privacy laws. He said the doctor who signed off on Eason’s diagnosis, no longer works for the company.

The technician responsible for the mix-up, also is no longer with the company.

Attorney Steven Pegalis of Lake Success says people must be able to trust a medical lab.

A second opinion might have averted this. Sad.

[Worrymon]

Originally Posted by wally246

A second opinion might have averted this. Sad.

Or a technician who actually did their job instead of cutting corners.