The Amended Complaint alleges that Cecilia Harward, age 71, was put on gentamicin for two weeks before removal of a kidney stone that was causing recurrent urinary tract infections. She alleges that the gentamicin caused a severe insult to her vestibular (inner ear) system, leading to profound dizziness, loss of balance, and other permanent symptoms.
The claim is that there were safer alternatives to gentamicin which should have been used, that the monitoring for gentamicin toxicity was inadequate, that symptoms of gentamicin toxicity were ignored, and that a consult with an infectious disease specialist was required.
The defendant urologist, Dr. Brandon Reynolds, disputes these claims. He also asserts that infusion nurses failed to inform him of any worrisome symptoms or abnormal lab values during the course of administration of the drug.
While several health care providers were originally named, the only defendant remaining for trial is Dr. Reynolds. This trial should last through next week.
Counsel for defendant: Steve Owens, James Egan and Nourin Abourahma of Epperson & Owens
