Surgeon Allegedly Puts Screwdriver In Man's Spine
Lawsuit: Screwdriver Fractures, Patient Dies After More Surgery
POSTED: 7:20 a.m. EDT July 16, 2003
UPDATED: 9:40 a.m. EDT July 16, 2003
HILO, Hawaii -- A former Hawaiian surgeon is being sued for malpractice after allegedly implanting a screwdriver in a patient's spine during an operation.
The lawsuit, filed by the patient's sister, alleges that parts of a stainless steel screwdriver ended up in the spine of Arturo Iturralde, 71. Dr. Robert Ricketson of Hilo, Hawaii, operated on Iturralde (pictured, left) in an elective surgery in 2001 to stabilize a disk injury in his back.
The lawsuit said Ricketson used the screwdriver when the titanium rod he needed was not available in the operating room.
"He elected to try to jerry rig a rod out of the shaft of a screwdriver he found in the operating room," attorney Mark Davis said. "He implanted it in the back of my client and, ultimately, it fractured two days after the surgery."
Then after three more surgeries, Iturralde was left a bedridden, incontinent paraplegic. He died from complications from the surgeries last month.
Iturralede's family didn't find out about the screwdriver until a week after it broke in half in his back. Davis said a nurse found the screwdriver in the trash and notified the family.
"This whole incident came to light by virtue of the fact that a nurse who was shocked and outraged by what had occurred found the screwdriver and informed the family what had occurred," Davis said.
At the time of the operation, the lawsuit alleges, Ricketson suffered from drug addiction and incompetence, had his medical license suspended in Oklahoma and revoked in Texas, and was on probation in Hawaii for improper conduct.
"Despite this rather extraordinary record of incompetence, dishonesty and criminal behavior, he was granted privileges at the Hilo Hospital, hired by a Big Island orthopedic group. He was unleashed on the public," Davis said.
Hawaii Orthopedics and Hilo Hospital are also accused of negligence in the suit.
It's not known where Ricketson is now. He applied for a medical license in Kansas last year, but he later withdrew the application.
The lawsuit, filed by the patient's sister, alleges that parts of a stainless steel screwdriver ended up in the spine of Arturo Iturralde, 71. Dr. Robert Ricketson of Hilo, Hawaii, operated on Iturralde (pictured, left) in an elective surgery in 2001 to stabilize a disk injury in his back.
The lawsuit said Ricketson used the screwdriver when the titanium rod he needed was not available in the operating room.
"He elected to try to jerry rig a rod out of the shaft of a screwdriver he found in the operating room," attorney Mark Davis said. "He implanted it in the back of my client and, ultimately, it fractured two days after the surgery."
Then after three more surgeries, Iturralde was left a bedridden, incontinent paraplegic. He died from complications from the surgeries last month.
Iturralede's family didn't find out about the screwdriver until a week after it broke in half in his back. Davis said a nurse found the screwdriver in the trash and notified the family.
"This whole incident came to light by virtue of the fact that a nurse who was shocked and outraged by what had occurred found the screwdriver and informed the family what had occurred," Davis said.
At the time of the operation, the lawsuit alleges, Ricketson suffered from drug addiction and incompetence, had his medical license suspended in Oklahoma and revoked in Texas, and was on probation in Hawaii for improper conduct.
"Despite this rather extraordinary record of incompetence, dishonesty and criminal behavior, he was granted privileges at the Hilo Hospital, hired by a Big Island orthopedic group. He was unleashed on the public," Davis said.
Hawaii Orthopedics and Hilo Hospital are also accused of negligence in the suit.
It's not known where Ricketson is now. He applied for a medical license in Kansas last year, but he later withdrew the application. Copyright 2003 by 10News.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
