27-Year-Old Mother Dies After Going to Hospital to Have Cyst Removed: Lawsuit

Lincoln Hospital in a file photograph. Google Maps

A 27-year-old woman went to a hospital in New York City to have a cyst removed but never made it out alive, her family said.

Rosemary Abreu, a mother, went into surgery at Lincoln Hospital on Sept. 20 and died the next day after going into cardiac arrest and, later, a coma.

“She told me, ‘Mommy, I’m going to the hospital. I’m coming back right away,'” said Dorah Restituyo, Abreu’s  mother, reported CBS NY.

She said she asked doctors what happened and they responded that they weren’t sure.

“I asked the doctor what happened to Rosemary, and they said, I don’t know, I don’t know. Everybody said, I don’t know what happened to her,” she said.

“They killed my daughter. They killed her. I don’t know why. I don’t know what happened to my daughter,” Restituyo said, reported WABC.

Family members held a press conference to announce a $50 million lawsuit against NYC Health + Hospitals.

“We believe the cause of death was either the improper administration of anesthesia or the improper monitoring, but this should not be happening in our city hospitals ... It’s clear this is something that never should have happened,” attorney Sanford Rubenstein said.

Lincoln Hospital released a statement to a local broadcaster.

“This incident is deeply unfortunate, and we offer our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones. Patient privacy and confidentiality laws prevent us from commenting further on this case,” the hospital told News 12. “As with any adverse event, we will vigorously investigate the matter and review our practices as necessary.”

There are a variety of cysts, which are sacs filled with fluid, air, or other material that form in the skin or anywhere in the body, according to Healthline.

Doctors can diagnose a cyst and recommend removal or another treatment.

If the cyst is removed, removal consists of different treatments. Some cysts can be drained through the doctor making a small incision and the wound should heal within two weeks.

In another method, a doctor inserts a thin needle into a cyst to drain the fluid, making the lump less noticeable.

Surgery is an option for some types of cyst.

A woman checks her face in a file photograph. Illustration - Shutterstock

Daughters

Abreau left behind two daughters.

“It’s very hard for me to explain to my granddaughters that their mother is not coming back,” Restituyo told CBS.

Katelyn, 9, the eldest daughter, said she was saddened by her mother’s death.

“I feel sad, I miss her a lot,” Katelyn told the New York Daily News.

“She was moving into a new apartment,” said Restituyo. “Right before the operation, she was asking about her kids. She’s went into [sic] the hospital to fix her body not to die.”