Houston 4-year-old gets 'unintentional vasectomy' during hernia surgery
HOUSTON - A Texas family is suing a Houston hospital and doctor after the family’s 4-year-old received an unintended vasectomy during surgery.
According to Randy Sorrels, an attorney in Houston, the 4-year-old had surgery to treat a hernia in the groin area. At some point during the surgery, Sorrels says the 4-year-old had an "unintended vasectomy."
"You expect things to happen in life, but not unnecessarily at the hands of a surgeon, who simply cut the wrong piece of anatomy," said Sorrels. "The surgeon, we think, cut accidentally the vas deferens, one of the tubes that carries reproductive semen in it. It could affect this young man for the rest of his life."
Online records reveal the surgeon has no history of malpractice and has zero issues reported before.
"It’s not a common mistake at all," said Sorrels. "Before a doctor transects or cuts any part of the anatomy, they are supposed to positively identify what that anatomy is and then cut. Here, the doctor failed to accurately identify the anatomy that needed to be cut. Unfortunately, cut his vas deferens. That wasn’t found out until it was sent in for pathology."
Sorrells says advancements in medical technology could allow the young boy to someday have children. However, that would likely require more surgery. Sorrells believes the boy will always have fertility issues.
A spokesperson from Texas Children’s Hospital provided a written statement responding to the litigation:
"Texas Children’s Hospital’s top priority is the health and well-being of our patient. Due to patient privacy requirements, we are unable to comment."
"The family’s biggest concern is how this might affect their child physically, on the ability to have children in the future, and emotionally," said Sorrells. "[Along with] having to explain this to a potential partner who you are going to have children with."