Woman Calls Vaginal Ultrasound out of Line

CHICAGO (CN) - A hospital technician battered a patient with an hour-long vaginal ultrasound, the woman claims in court.

Marianne Keith and her husband sued Advocate Condell Medical Center in Cook County Court.

She claims the technician, whose name does not appear in the lawsuit, "repeatedly jammed the probe" into her cervix, in an abusive procedure the likes of which she never had undergone in previous ultrasounds.

Keith claims in the lawsuit that in February her family physician referred her to Advocate Condell Medical Center, of Libertyville, when she presented with flulike symptoms including abdominal pain dizziness, and vomiting.

The hospital recommended an ultrasound, to which she did not consent, Keith says - at least not the way it was performed. She says she had "received multiple ultrasounds previously" and "consented that the ultrasound be performed in a manner comparable to ultrasounds that she had previously undergone."

However, she says in the lawsuit" "Condell, by and through its agents, performed the ultrasound by placing a condom over a probe and inserting the protected probe into plaintiff vaginally.

"Condell, for the period of approximately one hour, repeatedly jammed the probe in to various internal portions of the plaintiff's vagina, including her cervix, causing her injury, pain and discomfort.

"Condell intended for the plaintiff's internal vaginal walls to come in contact with the probe.

"Performance of the ultrasound lasted approximately one hour."

Marianne Keith says she suffered painful injuries to her vagina and cervix, post-traumatic stress disorder, recurrent nightmares, and other forms of emotional distress.

She seeks damages for medical battery; her husband seeks damages for loss of consortium.

They are represented by Diana Taylor with DeSanto, Morgan & Taylor in Libertyville, who did not return a call placed after business hours.

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