Lawsuit: Complicated heart surgery caused woman's stroke, death

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (Legal Newsline) -- A woman claims that an Arkansas doctor's negligence is to blame for the untimely wrongful death of a family member. 

Karla Rice, in her capacity as personal representative of the estate of Tammy Rice, deceased, filed a complaint on June 8 in the Benton County Circuit Court against Mercy Hospital Rogers, Mercy Clinic Northwest Arkansas Communities, Edgar J. Chauvin, M.D., Thomas J. Gresham, R.N., and John Doe Insurance Companies 1-10 for negligence, vicarious liability, failure to train, supervise and direct and res ipsa loquitur.

According to the complaint, on August 5, 2019, Tammy Rice underwent a mini-sternotomy aortic valve replacement surgery by Dr. Chauvin with the assistance of Gresham at Mercy Hospital. During the procedure, she was placed on cardiopulmonary bypass and Dr. Chauvin ended up having to convert the mini-sternotomy to an open sternotomy, according to lawsuit.

Tammy Rice ended up suffering a period of profound hypotension which required prolonged pump time on the bypass for 291 minutes and was later put into the intensive care unit, the suit says. On August 7, 2019, Tammy Rice suffered a cerebral artery ischemic stroke as shown on a CT and an EEG marked abnormally slow diffuse. 

On August 8, 2019, a telemedicine neurology consultant reviewed the issues and said that the stroke was most likely caused by the cardiovascular procedure, the suit says. Further testing on August 10 and 12, 2019, showed further complications to the heart and head as a result of the first surgery, the suit says. On August 15, 2019, Tammy Rice died due to her complications. 

Karla Rice is represented by Randy Hall of Hall and Taylor Law Partners, PLLC.