By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Island Health sued over claims of multiple botched surgeries

Jan 2, 2018 | 3:04 PM

NANAIMO — After allegedly being driven to a suicide attempt due to the poor care received at both Nanaimo and Victoria hospitals, a Nanaimo man is suing the Vancouver Island Health Authority.

Nanaimo resident Mark Holmes filed a civil claim on Oct.18, 2017 against the health authority and two of their doctors, Dr. Nathan Schneidereit and Dr. William Orrom.

It claimed Holmes first went to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital on Aug. 15, 2015 when his legs gave out and he collapsed at work. After he was released several days later, he returned in short order on Aug. 30 and Sept. 1 for continuing fever and pain.

It was on Sept. 1 when Dr. Schneidereit is accused of negligently performing a surgery to remove a pilonidal cyst, which usually happens when hair punctures and becomes embedded in the skin and is reportedly very painful if it’s infected.

Several months later, it’s claimed Holmes received a second opinion and was allegedly told he did not have the operation he first thought, but rather one “for large (the size of a man’s fist) mass and abscess in the pelvis which had penetrated the colon.”

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In 2017, the claim said, Dr. Schneidereit referred him to Dr. William Orrom at Victoria Hospital for further surgery, where the wrong operation was performed.

Nanaimo Communicable Disease Program is also listed in the civil claim for allegedly being “no help” to treat the infections which developed after the first surgery.

After two surgeries and suffering from their complications, the civil claim said Holmes tried to kill himself due to depression, loneliness and sadness on July 22.

At Nanaimo Hospital, Holmes “was not attended to but left on his own devices on a patio sobbing…While the Plaintiff was face down on the floor another security guard came and jammed (his) hand so hard it crushed and broke bones in the Plaintiff’s hand,” the civil claim said.

Due to the damage caused by alleged negligence, the claim listed Holmes as continuing to deal with chronic pain, incontinence, a hole in his colon, depression, sleeplessness and troubles with his memory.

Further surgeries were also required, such as a fecal matter transplant, bladder operation and probable cancer operation.

Holmes is seeking both general and special damages from the Vancouver Island Health Authority, as well as the costs of bringing legal action.

The health authority responded to NanaimoNewsNOW saying they couldn’t comment on the matter since it was before the courts.

B.C. court records show the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital was specifically listed in three lawsuits in 2017, including Holmes’ current legal action.

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