A lawsuit has been filed against Texas Children’s Hospital by the family of a 4-year-old boy, claiming that a doctor mistakenly performed a partial vasectomy on the child during surgery to address a hernia.
Filed on June 7, 2022, in Harris County on behalf of John and Krystal Brod, the lawsuit names the primary surgeon, Dr. Susan Jarosz, and the hospital as defendants.
According to the lawsuit, the surgery was suggested by Jarosz to remove a hernia in the child’s scrotum, causing swelling that came and went throughout the day.
The operation was performed by Jarosz with a resident on Aug. 4, 2021, and a sample of the hernia was sent to pathology. Subsequently, the pathology report revealed that the hernia specimen also contained tissue from the child’s vas deferens.
Doctors apologized to the Brods and informed them that the child may face short and long-term impacts on fertility, as per the lawsuit.
The family’s attorney, Randy Sorrels, stated that they inquired about potential actions, but the hospital explained that damage to the vas deferens was one of the risks of inguinal hernia repair.
According to a news release from Sorrels’ law firm, “While apologies were given, full accountability was not accepted.” The parents now face the difficult task of explaining this to their son at the appropriate age.
In a statement, the hospital asserted that its “top priority is the health and well-being of our patients” but stated its inability to comment on pending litigation. The hospital had not filed a formal legal response by Tuesday.
Jarosz is employed by Baylor College of Medicine, where she works as a professor, although the school was not named in the lawsuit.
The family is seeking $500,000 in damages from the hospital.
