Botched Surgery Costs Airman His Legs, and Maybe His Job

[Kadie]

Botched Surgery Costs Airman His Legs, and Maybe His Job


FOX40 News

July 19, 2009
SACRAMENTO - A local Airman now an amputee, but it wasn't overseas combat that left him without his legs. Relatives say a medical mistake on the operating table is to blame and what should have been a simple procedure has changed the airman's life forever.

Colton Read is at UC Davis in very critical condition. It's been one week since the 20-year-old went into surgery to have his gall bladder taken out at David Grant Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base.

Family members say during that procedure a two-year resident performing the surgery nicked a heart valve, shutting off blood to Colton's lower body. Doctors had to amputate both legs, but his gall bladder is still intact. Relatives tell FOX40 the military surgeon overseeing the procedure is now taking responsibility for the mistake.

Wife Jessica Read says she is appalled that the Air Force is even considering medical retirement or medical discharge while Airman Read is incapable of making any type of decision. She said he is not 100 percent lucid and is still heavily medicated.

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