Macon, GA — A Bibb County court has awarded over $13 million in damages to the family of Bennie Moore, who died due to complications from anesthesia during a medical procedure. This case highlights significant issues in medical practice and patient safety.
Bennie Moore, who weighed 337 pounds and suffered from obstructive sleep apnea, was considered a high-risk patient for anesthesia complications. She was undergoing a diagnostic procedure on November 14, 2017, at Coliseum Health System Northside Hospital to assess her suitability for bariatric surgery aimed at addressing her severe obesity and related health issues.
Instead of the standard general anesthesia, Moore was supposed to receive monitored anesthesia care because of her high risk for airway obstruction during sedation. Despite this, the medical team led by anesthesiologist David McKinney and his assistant, Ginny Trogdon, failed to adapt their approach to her unique health needs. The failure occurred in the context of McKinney supervising another surgery on a different floor and not fully communicating Moore’s health conditions to Trogdon.
During the procedure, Moore was given an excessive dose of anesthesia by Trogdon, which led to Moore stopping to breathe. By the time the issue was noticed, Moore had already gone without a pulse for eight minutes and could not breathe independently for approximately 14 minutes. Despite being resuscitated, she suffered a hypoxic brain injury and cardiac arrest from the lack of oxygen.
Moore was subsequently transferred to a long-term care facility where she remained in a vegetative state for several weeks. Despite medical interventions, she developed an infection and succumbed to sepsis and cardiac arrest in hospice care.
The lawsuit alleged that the assistant, Trogdon, did not adequately monitor Moore and administered the anesthetic too rapidly. Furthermore, it was claimed that McKinney failed in his duties to supervise the assistant and inform her adequately about Moore’s complex health situation. Throughout the trial, McKinney maintained his innocence, asserting that he applied a standard of care consistent with medical norms.
However, the jury in Bibb County State Court last month found both McKinney and Trogdon culpable, assigning 82.5% of the fault to the assistant and 17.5% to the anesthesiologist. The panel awarded the Moore family $775,000 for medical expenses, $2.5 million for pain and suffering, and $10.5 million for wrongful death, totaling about $13.75 million.
Katherine McArthur, the attorney representing Moore’s family, along with her daughter Lindsey Macon, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to work closely on such an impactful case. They emphasized the importance of this case for setting a precedent in medical malpractice related to anesthesia care, especially for high-risk patients.
The unfortunate case of Bennie Moore underscores the critical need for heightened awareness and adherence to specific patient conditions in the administration of anesthesia and overall patient management. These findings serve as a somber reminder of the grave consequences that can arise from oversight and miscommunication within medical practices.
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