Gastric Bypass Surgery News Links

Danbury, CT

The husband of a 39-year-old Ridgefield woman blames her surgeon and Danbury Hospital for her death on Christmas Day 2004.
Anthony Cataldo is suing Dr. Keith Zuccala, a Danbury doctor, and Danbury Hospital, claiming, among other allegations, that she was "improperly identified" as a candidate for gastric bypass surgery and that she wasn't properly cared for or monitored during a later hospital stay.

Lisa Ann Cataldo, a mother of two, had gastric bypass surgery Sept. 17, 2004, and was discharged three days later. One week later, she returned to the hospital, complaining of general abdominal pain, weakness and fever, and was seen in the emergency room, according to the complaint.

On Dec. 13, she had severe abdominal pain, the lawsuit says, and two days later she went to the emergency room, reporting her pain on a level of nine out of 10. She got there about 11:25 a.m. according to the lawsuit, which was filed in Superior Court in June.

She was moaning and appeared uncomfortable, and said she had been unable to eat or keep down fluids for two days.

About 2:30 p.m. that day she had a CT scan of her abdomen, and about 4:50 p.m. the films showed at least a partial small-bowel obstruction, according to the lawsuit.

Zuccala examined her in the emergency room and agreed to admit her for overnight observation on Dec. 15.

In the early morning of Dec. 16, she suffered from nausea, vomiting, dry heaving and increasing abdominal pain, the suit alleges. About 10:44 a.m. Zuccala performed a laparotomy to repair a perforated bowel.
Cataldo died on Christmas Day from sepsis caused by the perforated bowel, according to the lawsuit.

Hospital spokeswoman Andrea Rynn said there would be no comment.

Zuccala could not be reached.

Nor could Anthony Cataldo, who was appointed as executor of the estate on Jan. 12, 2005, be reached for comment.

Betty Ann Rogers, the plaintiff's Fairfield lawyer, declined to comment.

Cataldo time line Sept. 17, 2004 -- Lisa Ann Cataldo undergoes gastric bypass surgery. Dec. 16, 2004 -- she has surgery to repair a perforated bowel. Dec. 25, 2004 -- she dies. Source: a lawsuit filed in Superior Court by her estate