Rancho Santa Margarita Woman's Mystery Agony: You Won't Believe What Doctors Found

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA — In April of 2016, a common gynecological procedure went horribly wrong for a Rancho Santa Margarita woman.

Michelle Doig-Collins, a Rancho Santa Margarita resident, spoke out about the routine surgery she endured and the horror of what came next in a recent CBS2 Los Angeles report.

April of 2016 she underwent a routine gynecological surgery — a uterine ablation and tubal ligation at the Saddleback Surgical Center. But instead of feeling better things just proceeded to get worse.

"I was nauseous, had heavy cramping and heavy pain," she said in an interview with CBS2.

After her April surgery she took three trips to the doctor for her pain, and was diagnosed with a severe vaginal infection. Antibiotics temporarily eased the symptoms, but the pain just kept returning.

In July, after her last pelvic exam at the doctor, she went to the restroom and discovered the metal instrument.

"My toilet paper got caught onto a metal probe," she said.

Doig-Collins discovered that she was a victim of a retained surgical instrument, months after her surgical procedure.

Her husband rushed her to the emergency room where the piece of probe device was located and subsequently removed.

"I freaked, I panicked," Doig-Collins said. The tip of a surgical instrument had been left inside according to the ultrasound. "How did no one see this. I had this thing in me for 11 weeks."

Retained surgical instruments is not an uncommon problem, and has extensive study. Most frequently left behind surgical items include surgical towels, sponges, microneedles, guidewires and sheaths. All surgical instruments must be counted, according to www.NothingLeftBehind.org

"There are no standardized practices that can be applied to prevent loss of this wide array of items. In the OR, all surgical items returned to the surgical technologist from the field should be inspected for completeness," Dr. VC Gibbs, former Chief of General, Vascular and Thoracic Surgery at the San Mateo Medical Center states on her website. "Most hospitals have policies which require this inspection however there are a huge number of instruments and objects used during cases and it is important that surgical technologists remain familiar with how these items work and come apart so they will be able to detect missing pieces."

To date, Doig-Collins's malpractice attorney Jeff Greenman has received no indication of settlement from the doctors, and litigation might be necessary.

Usually during surgeries, there are whiteboards with notes on equipment counts, monitoring equipment that goes in and that comes out, according to Greenman.

"The device is 6-centimeters in length and 2 1/2-centimeters in width," Greenman said in interview. "That's a big hunk of metal."

"(Michelle) is still recovering from living with that inside of her for several months," Greenman said.

Retained surgical instruments are a common problem, Greenman stated, and some facilities are better equipped at counting items.

"If you are having a surgical procedure, it is within your rights to request an ultrasound or x-ray, and they should be able to do it upon request," he said. "Usually a retained surgical instrument is a sponge or something of that nature."

Both Orange Coast Medical Group and Saddleback Surgical Center have been approached for comment but as of press time have not responded.

Shutterstock Photo