Court Clears Doctor’s Testimony on C-Section

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CN) - A doctor is eligible to testify on the nursing standard of care in a Cesarean section, the Illinois Court of Appeals ruled.

Kimberly Petryshyn felt a stabbing pain in her pelvic region four months after her C-section at St. Joseph's Medical Center. The pain continued for more than a year before a pelvic examination revealed that a surgical instrument had been left in her uterus during the C-section.

The doctor, David Priver, testified that the nurses violated the standard of care by failing to check Petryshyn's uterus before closing her incision.

Judge Steigemann found that Priver qualified as an expert by virtue of his 33 years of obstetrics experience, during which he performed an average of 30 to 40 C-sections per year.

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