A 4-year-old boy got an ‘unintentional vasectomy’ during a botched hernia repair surgery, lawsuit claims

Crystal Cox/Business Insider A 4-year-old boy received an accidental partial vasectomy during a hernia surgery, lawsuit claims.   The boy may experience future fertility issues, pain, mental anguish, and disfigurement, the lawsuit says.   Hernias in the groin affect up to 5% of little boys, and complications from repairs are uncommon.

   A Texas couple is suing a local hospital and doctor after their 4-year-old son received a partial “unintentional vasectomy” during what was supposed to be hernia repair surgery, according to a lawsuit. In the lawsuit, parents Josh and Krystal Brod say their son had developed swelling in his right scrotum, particularly at night. After consulting with Dr.

Susan L. Jarosz, a urologist at Texas Children’s Hospital, the boy underwent a laparoscopic procedure to repair a hernia last August. Jarosz served as primary surgeon, and was accompanied by a resident.

 But after the procedure, a pathology report of the hernia sac noted some tissue from the vas deferens — or what transports sperm to the urethra before ejaculation — was included.  “So, the doctor went in laparoscopically, which means not an open incision, and doing it on a 2-D model, on television, failed to identify exactly what she was cutting and cut the wrong tube,” the family’s attorney, Randy Sorrels, told KPRC 2.  The lawsuit says the family was informed of the error, including its potential consequences like reduced fertility.

But the Brods say, per the lawsuit, Jarosz “breached the standard of care by failing to exercise ordinary care. ” The lawsuit alleges the now 5-year-old boy will “more than likely contend with fertility issues later in life” and will have to face “future medical expenses, future pain, mental anguish, future disfigurement, physical impairment and future expenses for fertility treatments. ” The family is seeking up to $1 million.

Texas Children’s did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.  Injuries to the vas deferens or other organs during hernia repair surgery are rareHernias in the groin area affect about 1% to 5% of baby boys, according to the Cleveland Clinic. In children, they’re most common under the age of 6.

 They can occur when the inguinal canal, or the area between the abdomen and genitals, doesn’t close all the way before birth, allowing tissue from another organ to pop through. The main symptom is a bulge, which can get smaller when the child is relaxed or sleeping.  Left untreated, inguinal hernias can cut off blood supply, lead to severe inflammation, and even be life-threatening.

A surgery is necessary to repair such hernias, and they’re less than an hour long, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Laparoscopic procedures in particular involve a surgeon making small cuts on the belly through which to insert the scope and other instruments, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The procedures are “generally safe, and complications are uncommon,” the University of San Francisco’s department of surgery website says.

Injury to internal organs including the vas deferens is “extremely rare” and could require future surgeries, according to the website.  Read the original article on Insider.