Surgical Blade Left Inside Him Leads to Death

Key Facts

• Incident: A surgical blade was left inside Jeffrey Alan Fulcher during a procedure.
• Compensation: South Carolina paid $1 million to Fulcher’s estate after the incident.
• Cause of Death: Fulcher died from complications related to the retained surgical instrument.
• Legal Action: A lawsuit highlighted the negligence of the Medical University of South Carolina.

The state of South Carolina has reportedly paid $1 million to the estate of Jeffrey Alan Fulcher, a man who died after a surgical blade was left inside his body during a cancer procedure.

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More On The Death Of Jeffrey Alan Fulcher, Who Reportedly Died After Surgical Blade Left Inside His Body

According to KBTX, in January 2022, Jeffrey Alan Fulcher was diagnosed with “localized carcinoma in the lower part of his esophagus.” Subsequently, he was reportedly referred to the Medical University of South Carolina to undergo treatment.

Per a lawsuit, Fulcher responded initially well to the treatment. Then, in June of that year, he reportedly underwent a “minimally invasive procedure to remove part of his esophagus.” However, at some point during the procedure, a “Thompson retractor blade fell into or was placed inside” Fulcher’s abdominal cavity. Furthermore, his medical provider “failed to see or remove the retractor blade.” Ultimately, Fulcher’s abdominal cavity was closed with the blade still inside. Per KBTX, additional staff also reported that all instruments used during the surgery had been accounted for.

South Carolina Reportedly Pays $1M To His Estate

The following day, Jeffrey Alan Fulcher reportedly informed the doctors of his pain. However, doctors believed he was recovering well. By June 19, 2022, he had visibly declined, per his family, his “heart rate was over 100,” and the surgical blade “eventually perforated his colon.”

After his “oxygen saturation level dropped” and his “abdomen was distended,” medical tests and X-rays were ordered. Ultimately, Fulcher’s doctor discovered the surgical blade, believing it would only require a “quick twenty-minute” removal. By the time Fulcher went back into surgery, he was reportedly in septic shock. Ultimately, doctors removed his entire colon. However, Fulcher passed away on June 21, 2022, at 2:30 p.m. Furthermore, his cause of death was listed as “sepsis, peritonitis, colonic perforation, and a retained surgical instrument in the abdomen from initial esophageal surgery.”

The subsequent lawsuit noted the failures and neglect of the Medical University of South Carolina. Per KBTX, “because the hospital is associated with the state, the state insurance fund paid Fulcher’s estate $1 million.”

Outside Of The Death Of Jeffrey Alan Fulcher, Another Surgical Procedure Also Led To A Tragic Headline

Outside of the botched surgery and subsequent death of Jeffrey Alan Fulcher, another surgery has also made tragic headlines. As The Shade Room previously reported, last month, Alicia Stone, a mother of three and NYPD detective, underwent BBL surgery in Colombia. Furthermore, a week into her recovery, Stone was discovered unresponsive and taken to a hospital.

Ultimately, Stone was pronounced dead, and her husband went public to the media, asserting that “something” wasn’t “adding up” about what happened to his wife.

RELATED: NYPD Detective & Mother Of 3 Reportedly Passes Away After Undergoing BBL Procedure In Colombia