Iowa woman died after nurses dismissed post-hernia repair symptoms: lawsuit
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An Iowa woman died after a routine hernia repair from symptoms of infection and fatal constipation that hospital staff dismissed as “normal,” according to a lawsuit filed by her family against a surgeon and two registered nurses.
Laura Belt, 46, died in May 2024 from complications related to an intestinal perforation that resulted in sepsis, which was allegedly overlooked by Decatur County Hospital staff, according to the Iowa Capital Dispatch.
His family is accused of medical malpractice by Dr. Decatur County Hospital, who is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit. He is suing Edwin Vincent Wehling and nurses Brandi Oesch and Tammy Roberts.
The Iowa Board of Medicine also accused Wehling of “professional incompetence” and practicing in a manner that was “detrimental and detrimental to the public.” A board hearing on the disciplinary charges is scheduled for September.
YOUNG LAWYER DIED AFTER ROUTINE MEDICAL SCREENING TRIGGERED FATAL ALLERGIC REACTION
Laura Belt, 46, died in May 2024 from complications related to a perforated bowel that resulted in sepsis. (Tharp Funeral Home and Crematorium)
While Wehling operated on Belt, Oesch and Roberts tended to his recovery after arriving at Decatur County Hospital for hernia repair surgery, the Iowa Capital Dispatch reported.
Belt allegedly told staff after surgery that she felt “very uncomfortable” and “very anxious and tearful” because she was suffering from “constant drainage” of a “significant amount of fecal, brown fluid” from the incision site. According to the outlet, Belt also allegedly hasn’t had a bowel movement since the surgery.
Kemer was discharged from the hospital a week after his hernia surgery. More than a week after discharge, the incision was still leaking, according to the complaint.
The woman texted pictures of the brown liquid to Roberts.
The brown liquid was determined to be feces, and nurses reassured him it was nothing abnormal, according to the complaint.
Edwin Vincent Wehling and nurses Brandi Oesch and Tammy Roberts are being sued for medical malpractice. (Google Maps)
Roberts texted Belt on May 9, 2024: “I checked in with Brandi, she stated everything was normal…Brandi stated the incision will flow like this for at least a month.”
The day after the meeting with Roberts, Belt’s family said he had a video call with Oesch and showed her the brown fluid still flowing from the wound, but he was allegedly not told to seek immediate medical attention.
On May 11, 2024, Belt was taken by ambulance to the Wayne County Hospital Emergency Department; where he was told he showed signs of dead, necrotic tissue at the incision site and a “constant discharge of feces,” and was diagnosed as being in septic shock related to an infection from the hernia repair, according to the lawsuit.
Two days later, Oesch allegedly added a retroactive entry to Belt’s electronic medical record at Decatur County Hospital, confirming that he had a video call with Belt and noting that the woman had been crying and had spilled fluid from her wound onto the bathroom floor during the call.
“This nurse advised me to call Dr. Wehling for advice. This nurse notified Dr. Wehling and he requested that (antibiotic) Bactrim be started,” Oesch wrote, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit alleges that no Bactrim prescriptions were ordered.
WOMAN ACCUSED OF TREATING THOUSANDS OF PATIENTS AS A FAKE NURSE
Laura Belt died on May 15, 2024. (iStock)
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Belt died on May 15, 2024, and Wehling, Oesch and Roberts denied any wrongdoing.
Wehling claimed that the cause of Belt’s injuries and complications “may have been a pre-existing medical condition and/or a subsequent medical condition for which he was not responsible,” according to the Iowa Capital Dispatch.
A hearing has been scheduled for August 23.
