A Wisconsin woman is suing a Milwaukee hospital after discovering that a feeding tube was allegedly left inside her body for nearly 35 years following emergency surgery.
Deborah Lowe, now 60, underwent an emergency C-section at Mount Sinai Medical Center in 1989 while pregnant with twins. The procedure resulted in severe complications, the loss of both babies, and a hysterectomy at just 25 years old. Lowe remained on life support for two months, during which a feeding tube was inserted.
For decades, Lowe endured persistent abdominal pain, shortness of breath, and swelling. Despite multiple medical consultations and procedures, the cause remained undiagnosed—until an April 2024 colon procedure allegedly uncovered the retained feeding tube embedded in her abdominal cavity.
“How could they do this?” Lowe said tearfully during a press conference. “They took my whole life. I was only 25 years old and couldn’t have more kids. Now I’m still suffering.”
On Feb. 5, Lowe’s attorney, B’Ivory LaMarr, filed a lawsuit against Mount Sinai—now Aurora Sinai Medical Center—citing medical negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and emotional distress. The suit claims the retained tube caused years of pain and required additional surgical intervention.
“This case is a glaring example of systemic failure within our healthcare system,” LaMarr stated told People. “No patient should suffer decades of pain due to a preventable mistake.”
Aurora Sinai Medical Center has yet to comment on the lawsuit.
