> I ask this now because so many have told me I should consider this, and
> my statute of limitations expires next month.
>
> I was 31 when the surgeon made a nine inch incision, taking out 18
> inches of my colon, when all he needed to do was remove a 4cm benign
> polyp...I was perfectly healthy otherwise.
Janet,
Colon cancer begins with benign polyps! They must be removed because they can become malignant.
Did you have colonoscopy prior to the surgery? How long ago was the surgery?
Today, the polyp would have been biopsied during colonoscopy and removed if it were small enough. If it were large, it might have required surgery to remove it. But, it must come out.
It is recommended that every adult over 50 be screened for colon polyps to prevent colon cancer.
In my opinion you would have a difficult time proving that the doctor did not follow reasonable surgical procedures in removing a polyp that later -- luckily for you -- turned out to be benign!
After all, that is what so many cancer patients dream of waking up to -- "We took it out, but it was not malignant."
Benign is a pretty good word.
However, if you had one polyp, you may have more. You need to get on a regular colonoscopy routine, at least every three years.
Kate
-- Kate Murphy katemm@mindspring.com