A doctor who lost his leg sues his colleague, claiming he caused the life-threatening infection while treating his foot ulcer
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- Dr. Mario Adajar filed a lawsuit alleging a fellow doctor amputated his leg due to negligence.
- Adajar said Dr. Michael Baloga, Jr., treated his foot ulcer with a cast that ultimately led to infection.
- Total contact casts are a common treatment for diabetes foot ulcers, but they come with some risks.
A man who had his leg amputated has sued the doctor who performed the surgery, citing "catastrophic permanent injuries" due to alleged "negligent acts and omissions."
The plaintiff, Mario Adajar of Wyoming, Pennsylvania, is also a doctor himself and claims he would not have required the amputation had his surgeon treated him correctly.
According to the lawsuit described by Citizens' Voice, Adajar first sought care for a chronic foot ulcer and calluses in December 2020 at the Foot and Ankle Center in West Pittston, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Michael Baloga, Jr., treated Adajar several times at the Center, attempting to remove the damaged tissue around the wound before he decided to apply a total contact cast in June 2021.
Adajar alleges that the cast caused an infection in his foot. He said he experienced a 102-degree fever and intense pain around the cast the day after he got it, prompting emergency treatment that eventually led to the amputation of his lower leg.
A bacterial infection turned to gangrene
Citizens' Voice reported that Adajar was ultimately diagnosed with gram negative bacilli, a type of bacterial infection resistant to many common antibiotics. The bacteria released gaseous toxins deep in the muscle tissue, causing gangrene in the foot and lower leg.
Over the next few days, Adajar said he went into septic shock and suffered a heart arrhythmia and respiratory failure. By the end of the month, Adajar's lower leg was numb and non-functional, and on July 27, Baloga decided to amputate the leg below the knee.
Adajar filed the lawsuit Monday in Luzerne County, accusing Dr. Baloga, the Foot and Ankle Center, and Wilkes-Barre General Hospital of medical malpractice.
Baloga did not immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.
Foot ulcers linked to diabetes
In the lawsuit, Adajar disclosed that he had Type 2 diabetes and recently received a kidney transplant.
People with diabetes have an increased risk of foot problems due to neuropathy, or nerve damage, according to Mayo Clinic. Neuropathy can cause numbness or tingling pain in the feet, making it hard to tell if there's an open sore that could turn into something worse.
Casts can be a very effective treatment for diabetic foot ulcers, according to the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society. A total contact cast is a specific technique that hugs the contours of a foot in order to relieve the pressure on the ulcer.
However, the AOFAS notes two important prerequisites: good blood flow to the foot and careful monitoring. If the blood supply is inadequate and physicians do not look out for signs of infection, the total contact cast could pose an amputation risk, especially for patients who are overweight or have additional health issues.