Patient-1

Botched surgery, nerve block was not given, ongoing pain and suffering, lack of care, surgeon who disappeared after surgery and refused to communicate with the patient or other medical providers

This is a first-person account by Patient-1.

I had an alleged hip replacement surgery by Dr. Michael S. Bradford on June 17. I use the term “alleged,” because I still have no idea what they did to me. Dr. Bradford disappeared after the surgery and abandoned me. Sunrise Hospital and HCA Healthcare have gone “radio silent” and stopped communicating with me when I left the hospital.

Immediately following the surgery, I suffered excruciating pain, improper post-operative care, delayed diagnosis of infection and a complete lack of communication from the surgeon. I was promised a nerve block that was not administered, discharged without antibiotics, and suffered worsening symptoms while multiple attempts to reach Dr. Bradford went ignored—for me and my other healthcare providers. 

It has been 10 weeks since the surgery, and I am still in horrible pain and suffering, have very limited mobility, still using a walker, and my quality of life has been severely diminished.

Two weeks ago, my primary care office ordered an X-Ray. It shows serious problems that need to be addressed by a highly respected, qualified orthopedic surgeon.

My story is a tale of numerous mistakes, medical malpractice, infections, torture, lies, arrogance, greed, deceit, abandonment, criminal neglect of a patient under NRS 200.495, violation of NRS 629.051 and 629.061 Retention and Inspection of records, reckless disregard of a person resulting in substantial bodily harm, fraudulent billing, and a long-term, ingrained corporate strategy of denial and coverup.

This is not just about a surgery gone wrong. This is about a doctor who should have never been allowed to operate in the first place. Dr. Bradford disappeared after the surgery and abandoned me. He has refused to explain what happened. When a doctor walks away from a patient with no explanation and refuses to communicate with the patient or their medical team, this is not just bad practice – it is dangerous and unacceptable. 

I was not given a nerve block even though it was discussed and confirmed by every member of the surgical team including the surgeon, anesthesiologist and operating room nurses. It was obvious that I had not received a nerve block because I was in horrific pain and my hip area was not numb. The hospital employees said they checked my chart and told us that a nerve block was NOT used so I would “be able to get up and move sooner.” Can you imagine having a joint replacement surgery without a nerve block? It was pure torture and inflicted great bodily harm.

The surgeon, anesthesiologist and surgical team are culpable and have worked in concert with Sunrise Hospital and HCA Healthcare to cover up this horrific deed. They even made my medical records disappear. When I requested my records, they responded with “Patient Not Found.” 

Even though Sunrise Hospital says there are no records in my name, their billing department sent me an itemized statement for $253,000 for two days in the hospital.

To sum it up in a few key points, the failures of Dr. Bradford, Sunrise Hospital, and HCA Healthcare include, but are not limited to:

• Omission of a nerve block without consent or explanation. It was obvious that I had not received a nerve block because I was in horrific pain and my hip area was not numb. The hospital employees said they checked my chart and told us that a nerve block was NOT used so I would “be able to get up and move sooner.”
• Catheter left inactive overnight, causing significant urine retention, putting my bladder at risk. 
• Multiple IV sites ignored, damaged and/or left untreated.
• Discharged in an unfit condition, without antibiotics or wound care supplies. 
• Two confirmed infections at the surgical site, which were not addressed by Dr. Bradford. 
• Repeated refusal by Dr. Bradford to provide ongoing care or to communicate with me or my other medical providers.
• Unhygienic wound care by Dr. Bradford’s nurse. She did not wear gloves when tending to my infected wound, and she was trying to pressure me into premature removal of staples at only 10 days post-op.
• Coercive office policies that prevent family members from being present during appointments which forces patients to go into the exam room without support or witnesses.

I am deeply concerned about the ongoing harm and risk to other patients. It is terrifying to know that Dr. Bradford is still doing surgery. He should NOT be allowed to do surgery or see patients.

I have been trying to find an ethical surgeon for weeks, but I have been caught in the typical black hole between doctors, hospitals and insurance companies.

I am still suffering and am afraid that I may never recover from this nightmare.

Please DO NOT let your family or friends go to Dr. Michael Bradford.

Stock photo illustrating pain due to botched hip replacement

Timeline

An extensive, detailed timeline was prepared by Patient-1. The timeline is 14 pages, so we will provide a few key highlights.

As you read this, you will begin to understand why you should never go alone to Sunrise Hospital. You must have a family member or friend with you at all times.

Day 1: day before surgery (Monday)

Received a voice mail telling me to arrive at the hospital at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

Day 2: day of surgery (Tuesday)

After going through the intense security process and checking in at four different desks, I was told to go home because my surgery would not begin until 3:30 p.m. I explained that I had been told to arrive at 10:30 a.m. The employee went into the next hallway and came back and told me I could wait in the Surgery Waiting Area, but it would be several hours before surgery started. Since I had been told to arrive at 10:30, and I had already gone through the long check-in process, I decided to wait in that area.

Day 2, day of surgery at 2:35 p.m. (Tuesday)

After several hours of waiting and having multiple conversations with everyone involved, they finally took me to the operating room.

After the surgery was completed, they did not follow the usual protocol. The doctor never talked to my family, and the staff never allowed my family to see me in the Recovery Area.

Day 2, day of surgery at 6:30 p.m. (Tuesday)

I arrived in the patient room, screaming in pain. My family tried to find ways to comfort me as they looked on in horror.

I knew immediately they had not used a nerve block because my hip area was not numb, and I should not have been screaming in pain.

Day 3, the day after surgery (Wednesday)

Around 7:00 a.m. (almost 12 hours after surgery), the nurse discovered the catheter was not "turned on," so my body had been retaining urine all night (700 ml of urine). Now, 10 weeks later, my bladder is still damaged and is causing problems.

8:12 a.m. The hospital was starting the process of discharging me -- only 12 hours after surgery, with a catheter, and with uncontrolled pain. (This sounds similar to the story of Patient-3 who was discharged in an unsafe condition.)

My family tried to discuss their concerns about this unsafe discharge with the nursing staff, but they ignored the concerns. So, my family contacted executives with Sunrise Hospital. Ultimately, the hospital executives said I would not be discharged that day because I did not "meet the criteria for discharge."

Can you imagine what would have happened if my family had not protected me? Once again, never go alone to Sunrise Hospital.

The IV site blew out, and my arm was extremely swollen -- with the hospital ID bands cutting into my arm. Over the next 24 hours, they tried 3 more IVs. All 3 of them failed.

Day 4, 2 days after surgery (Thursday)

They worked on the discharge process all day. I was eventually discharged around 2:30 p.m. I was released with several medications, but I was not given antibiotics or wound care supplies.

There are a lot of additional details, mistakes, multiple attempts by my other medical providers to reach Dr. Bradford (with no success). He abandoned me and has caused me to be unable to obtain medical care from an ethical orthopedic surgeon for 10 weeks.

I am suffering, in horrible pain, barely able to function, have limited mobility still using a walker, and my quality of life has been severely diminished.

Read the information on this website and make informed decisions about whether you should go to Sunrise Hospital.

If you have to go to Sunrise Hospital, never go alone.