ST. PAUL, MN (trfnews.i234.me) — A family from Grand Forks, North Dakota, has filed a federal lawsuit against Mayo Clinic and orthopedic surgeons Dr. Peter Rose and Dr. Mohammed Karim, alleging medical malpractice that resulted in their 13-year-old daughter’s permanent paralysis. The lawsuit, submitted on January 6, 2025, in U.S. District Court, claims that the medical team failed to stabilize the girl’s spine during a three-stage scoliosis surgery in February 2024.
The patient was diagnosed with scoliosis during a routine health check, which revealed a tumor causing spinal curvature. Dr. Rose recommended a surgical plan involving the removal of the tumor and correction of the scoliosis. The lawsuit asserts that Dr. Rose did not implement a plan to stabilize the spine, leading to postoperative complications.
Following the second stage of surgery on February 10, 2024, the patient experienced a loss of sensation in her legs after attempting to sit up. A subsequent CT scan indicated spinal instability. Despite these findings, the lawsuit alleges that appropriate measures were not taken to address the instability.
On February 12, 2024, Dr. Karim performed emergency surgery and observed spinal instability but did not stabilize the spine surgically. The lawsuit claims that this omission led to the patient’s permanent paralysis below the waist.
The family is seeking damages exceeding $75,000 for medical malpractice and negligent nondisclosure. Mayo Clinic has not provided a comment regarding the lawsuit.
I’m Chris Harper, reporting for trfnews.i234.me