Brain Damage Occurs When Patient Goes Into Cardiac Arrest During Plastic Surgery

Our elderly client was to undergo an elective eyelid surgery to relieve his bilateral ptosis, or drooping of the eyelids. Prior to surgery, the client had a known history of advanced heart disease. He was placed on a biventricular dual-chamber defibrillator (ICD) 10 months before the proposed eyelid surgery, and his left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was between 15 and 20% just 2 months before the surgery, which is severely abnormal. Nonetheless, the client was cleared for the eyelid surgery despite not being a suitable candidate. During the eyelid surgery, the client went into cardiac arrest, resulting in a comatose state of the client. He was later declared brain dead and life support was removed. The case settled for $350,000.00