An Iowa family won a $10 million verdict over Dubuque, Iowa-based Mississippi Valley Anesthesiology, when a jury found the clinic responsible for the death of an 80-year-old man.
Here's what you should know:
1. The man underwent a procedure to have his bladder removed. During the procedure he experienced bowel leakage and sepsis, due to which an additional surgery was scheduled.
2. While undergoing the additional surgery, the man vomited during anesthesia induction, allegedly aspirating stomach contents into his lungs. The man later died from secondary drowning.
3. The law firm alleged the nurse anesthetist failed to clean out his airway after he vomited. The firm also said the nurse anesthetist failed to note the man was fed an hour before his surgery.
4. The nurse anesthetist has since retired.