$3,000,000
Man Suffers Severe Brain Damage after Cosmetic Surgery
A 64 year old man entered a doctor's office for a "face lift." During the fairly long surgical procedure under general anesthesia, the anesthesiologist allowed the patient's blood pressure to fall to dangerous levels -- due to combination of medications and inadequate fluid replacement. A respiratory arrest occurred and further cardiovascular compromise ensued. The patient was sent to a local medical center, where he survived. However, he has sustained permanent damage to his brain stem ("basal ganglia"), leading to the inability to control motor function, despite good cognition and intelligence ("locked-in syndrome").