Howard v. Northwest Arkansas Surgical Clinic, P.A.

DAVID NewberN, Justice.

This is a medical malpractice case. Dorothy L. Howard sued Northwest Arkansas Surgical Clinic, P.A. (“the Clinic”), Robert Petrino, M.D., and Barbara A. Sandefur, M.D., seeking damages because a portion of a needle was allegedly left in her breast after an excisional biopsy. The Howards’ complaint alleged that Ms. Howard consulted Dr. Petrino and the Clinic after a mammogram revealed abnormal calcifications in her left breast. Dr. Sandefur, a radiologist, inserted a Kopan needle in Ms. Howard’s breast to “localize” the tissue to be excised. Dr. Petrino excised the…