Dan Ryan Wins Big in Onondaga County Supreme Court

The Plaintiff alleged a failure to diagnose compartment syndrome following a total hip arthroplasty via the direct anterior approach.  Following his hip replacement surgery, the patient began to complain of pain and tightness in his right knee. The defendants found he had normal post operative swelling and pain and displayed no signs or symptoms associated with compartment syndrome. The patient’s symptoms progressed until he was unable to bend his right knee. He underwent several subsequent procedures including a manipulation under anesthesia and a quadriceplasty, fasciotomy and debridement.  After each procedure, the patient regained some range of motion in his knee, but the gains were only temporary, and he was eventually left with an ankylosed knee. Dan represented all the defendants including the orthopedic surgeon, his group, and two physician assistants. He argued the patient never presented with signs and symptoms of compartment syndrome.  He further argued compartment syndrome following a total hip replacement is extremely rare and the patient showed evidence of an undiagnosed predisposition to form adhesions following major surgeries.  Plaintiff’s counsel blackboarded over $5m in economic damages.  The jury deliberated for three and a half hours before delivering a unanimous verdict for the defense.