Abby Lee Miller Takes Legal Action Against Hospital Over Catheter Allegedly Left In Her Body For Years

Dance Moms celebrity and notorious alum Abby Lee Miller is in the headlines again today, though it's not over obscene behavior but rather a feud with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. The reality TV personality is now suing the revered hospital for medical malpractice, claiming that its staff left a catheter in her abdomen after a 2020 surgery. This other and foreign body continued in the plaintiff's body for a considerable period and, while there, produced in her extreme and excruciating suffering.

The lawsuit, filed in June 2024, explains Miller's continued issues after an operation for spondylolisthesis, a slip of the vertebrae. The operation was supposed to help her, not make things worse. In the months and years that followed, Miller says she had repeatedly sought medical attention, complaining about continuing abdominal pain, to several doctors, including the ones who did the surgery. But she claims her fears were quashed and her agony dismissed as a normal response to surgery.

By March 2024, the pain had become much worse and began to impact Miller's daily activities. The pain was "constant and intense," and Miller's life quality was affected. Not until later that year, in June, did Miller have an exam for a different medical problem, during which doctors ordered a CT scan. The scan yielded a surprise find of a foreign object, later confirmed to be a catheter that had been lodged in her body since the 2020 surgery.

The catheter that had been forgotten about inside Miller's abdomen for years was finally removed in an emergency surgery. The catheter was then also sent for subsequent pathology review, but when Miller sought to take possession of it, her request was refused, the suit claims. This was salt on a gaping wound to Miller, who was already feeling let down by not only the medical staff ignoring her concerns but also the regret she would feel later when the hospital refused to allow her to keep the thing that had caused her such anguish.

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In her lawsuit, Miller alleges two staff members at Cedars-Sinai were negligent in their medical care, allowing the catheter to go unremoved by the time the surgery was done and causing extended misery for the reality star. The catheter, left inside her for years, led to ongoing abdominal pain, leaving Miller feeling betrayed. The family is seeking damages for the trauma that Miller suffered, which his relatives claim was the result of hospital negligence.

This lawsuit is the most recent chapter in Miller's turbulent medical journey. Miller had previously struggled with multiple health issues after the surgery, including a spinal cord infection that left him paralyzed and with significant complications. Miller's own recovery from those life-threatening conditions has already been strenuous and emotional, and the alleged mishap at Cedars-Sinai has compounded her physical and emotional toll.

Miller's lawsuit brings up serious concerns about patient safety and the role of healthcare professionals. Although it's not unheard of for objects to be retained in patients after surgery, it's still a matter of great concern. Hospitals and physicians must verify that all surgical instruments, devices, and foreign bodies are verified to be accounted for and, if not, should have been removed. This type of neglect has a profound effect, both in terms of physical and emotional damage, and can result in health problems that last throughout an individual's remaining life.

Miller's case reminds us why it is important to hold medical practitioners accountable for their choices. In her court action, she claims to want justice not just for herself but also to highlight the subject of medical negligence. Miller, who is taking legal action, is keen to raise awareness of the potential perils of medical errors and ensure better practices are implemented to ensure they never happen again.

However, as the case plays out, it is evident that Abby Lee Miller isn't going down without a fight. And despite the fact that she has suffered much pain and distress since then, she is damned if she's going to let the hospital off the hook for their alleged gross negligence. Whether or not Miller successfully requests compensation, her lawsuit is a powerful reminder of the value of patient safety and some much-needed accountability in the healthcare system.