Worley Hospital, Inc. v. Caldwell

ROBINSON, Justice.

Plaintiff Sylvia Caldwell sued her surgeon, Dr. C. F. Sparger, and Worley Hospital, Inc., for damages resulting when a lap sponge, approximately 16 inches square and containing 5 or 6 thicknesses of gauze, was left in her abdomen when the incision was closed following surgery by Dr. Sparger in the Worley Hospital. A jury found that Dr. Sparger was not negligent in failing to see the lap sponge when looking into plaintiff’s abdomen before closing; that negligence of the assisting nurses in failing to make a correct lap pack count was a proximate cause of the injury; and that…