Surgical Error During Adenoidectomy: $4.25 Million
2026 Medical Malpractice Settlement Report
By Attorney William J. Thompson
Suffolk Superior Court, Boston, Massachusetts
Surgical mistakes damaged 1-year-old's internal carotid artery resulting in an ischemic stroke
The plaintiff was a one-year-old who sustained injury to her left internal carotid artery (ICA) during an adenoidectomy resulting in ischemic stroke.
On 11/15/2022, she underwent an adenoidectomy procedure performed by an attending doctor and a resident. They used a microdebrider and noted there was a sudden rush of blood, which rapidly filled the patient’s oral cavity and nasal cavities. They suctioned and packed the nasopharynx with tonsil sponges, but the bleeding continued. The anesthesiologist called for help, started a second 22-gauge, administered fluids, called for packed red blood cells (PRBC) and the trauma pack, and administered albumin.
Additional intravenous (IV) access was established, and volume resuscitation was initiated with crystalloid and blood products. Given concern for injury to the vessels at the skull base, neurosurgery was called for an emergency consultation.
It was determined that the adenoid had not been removed. In fact, the adenoid tissue was completely intact, but the left torus had been resected, and the sponges were obliterating a large defect in the lateral wall of the nasopharynx. She required the massive transfusion protocol to manage her blood loss. A CTA of her head and neck showed a dissection of the left (ICA). She was transferred to another hospital where she underwent angiography and endovascular coiling by neurosurgery. A left internal carotid artery vessel sacrifice was performed.
After this procedure, she underwent an MRI that revealed evolving acute ischemia in the left cerebral artery territory and scattered infarcts in the left MCA/ACA and left MCA/PCA watershed territories.
She recovered quite well and did not have any focal deficits. Neuromuscularly, she was fully intact. Her receptive speech was excellent. Her expressive speech has been improving significantly, and she has no swallowing, dysphagia, respiratory, or voice issues. Her family was advised against having her participate in contact sports and martial arts, where there might be an increased likelihood of trauma to the neck that might compromise her collateral flow.
The plaintiff claimed the defendants failed to adequately locate the adenoids, improperly resected other areas, including the torus, and damaged the internal carotid artery resulting in a stroke and vessel sacrifice.
The case settled during discovery for $4,250,000.
Lubin & Meyer attorneys Andrew C. Meyer and William J. Thompson represented the plaintiff in this medical malpractice lawsuit.
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