Illinois jury finds surgeon negligent after girl's esophagus was torn, stent dropped in stomach in 2011

PEORIA, Ill. - An Illinois surgeon was found negligent by a jury last week for his treatment of a girl who went to the hospital for a choking episode in 2011.

Last Friday, a Peoria County jury found that pediatric surgeon Mark J. Holterman, M.D. was negligent as a surgeon regarding his treatment of a now-13-year-old girl in 2011.

Romanucci & Blandin attorneys stated that from 2011 to 2017, Holterman served as a pediatric surgeon at OSF Children’s Hospital in Peoria. In July 2011, when the girl was nine months old, she visited the hospital due to a choking episode.

During that visit, Holterman examined her esophagus and discovered a piece of carrot, as well as a narrowed area known as a stricture. He proceeded to dilate the stricture, inadvertently causing a two-centimeter tear in her esophagus.

Following this, Holterman attempted to address the tear by utilizing an adult airway stent he had on hand. However, he accidentally dropped it into her stomach, where it remained for 11 months, according to the attorneys.

Over the course of those 11 months, the girl encountered feeding difficulties and relied on a feeding tube inserted through her abdomen into her stomach.

Holterman defended his actions by asserting that he was being innovative in his approach. However, the attorneys revealed that the stent had never received approval for use in a baby's esophagus.

"Our client feels vindicated by the verdict and feels a real sense of justice for her daughter," said Partner Bruno R. Marasso.

"The evidence was clear that Holterman took a routine procedure for our client and turned [it] into an unnecessary injury for this young girl," said Senior Attorney Sarah M. Raisch.  

The jury awarded the girl more than $2 million in damages for her injuries.