Discrepancies over Wasemiller's qualifications to perform a gastric bypass surgery on plaintiff Mary Larson six years ago dominated cross-examination. Wasemiller was assisted by his brother, Dr. Paul Wasemiller, during the procedure in April 2002.
During opening statements Tuesday, Wasemiller's attorney, Mark Solheim, said his client performed 80 surgeries over a 10 year period, while Wasemiller said Thursday he performed "approximately 100." He agreed that he performed about one or two bariatric surgeries per year, which deal with obese individuals.
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"Is it your opinion that you had the experience...to treat Mary Larson?" said Larson's attorney, William Maddix.
"I had a certificate when I completed my residency," said Wasemiller.
When questioned by Maddix, Wasemiller said he was not certified by the American Board of Surgeons after he completed his residency. Wasemiller moved to Wahpeton in 1976, where he started his own practice.
National health care standards in 2002 dictated Wasemiller shouldn't have been doing those cases, according to Dr. Steven Hamar, MD, a general and vascular surgeon at Mid Dakota Clinic in Bismarck.
Hamar, a witness for Larson, said adequate experience at that time included a minimum of 12 cases in a 24-month period. Wasemiller's caseload was "way out of the norm."
"Doctors who perform fewer than 10 per year...have a much higher morbidity rate than those who do higher than that number," he said. Hamar, a North Dakota board-certified surgeon, also referred to articles written by bariatric surgeons during his testimony.
Earlier in the day, Wasemiller refuted claims by Maddix that suggested he botched the surgery by placing the intestine upside down. Green-colored drainage was discovered when Larson's nasogastric tube was removed post-surgery, and prior testimony from Dr. Anthony Madura, a witness for Larson, indicated bile would have had to travel upward to be found in the tube. Wasemiller said when he hooked the intestine to the stomach pouch, "some bile will go right up" into it.
Wasemiller also responded to reports of Larson's decline in health after surgery, saying Larson's high body mass index, pneumonia post-surgery and past medical issues contributed to her problems.
Defense referred to Wasemiller's initial assessment of Larson prior to surgery, which indicated two prior cesarean sections, a gall bladder operation and hernia surgery, all of which made further surgery more complicated. The assessment also revealed her past struggles with multiple joint pain and dieting.
"She had basically failed all the types of weight loss methods to control her disease," said Wasemiller.
Wasemiller said he told Larson that he expected her to lose 100 pounds but warned she may lose less. He also said he advised her to follow orders by a dietician after the surgery and join an exercise program to boost back her body.
c wrote on Jan 17, 2009 5:59 PM:
SRN wrote on Jan 14, 2009 5:08 PM:
Connie wrote on Jan 11, 2009 9:22 AM:
The whole story should have ended with: ''Wasemiller said he was not certified by the American Board of Surgeons after he completed his residency. Wasemiller moved to Wahpeton in 1976, where he started his own practice." He should have never been allow to proceed with this surgery. The hospital, the jury and the doctor should all be ashamed of this decision. I wonder if there are more of his patients out there that suffered from his procedures??? "
bystander wrote on Jan 10, 2009 1:43 PM:
bystander wrote on Jan 10, 2009 1:42 PM: