Why a CT family blames a health system for a Christmas Eve death

The Connecticut pastor went to the hospital in late November because he needed a medical device replaced.

He died on Christmas Eve.

His family claims the Rev. Yves Abichet of Bridgeport died as a result of “negligent” care at Bridgeport Hospital as medical providers there allegedly “misinterpreted the location and position of the bladder on radiological imaging,” that they “misplaced the intended suprapubic catheter,” and that they “injured the bladder in the course of misplacing the suprapubic catheter,” among other things, according to a lawsuit filed in Superior Court.

A suprapubic catheter is a medical device that helps drain urine from the bladder; it enters the body through a small incision in the abdomen, according to the Cleveland Clinic 

“The doctors who treated Yves Abichet were negligent on so many fronts. They perforated his bladder while inserting the catheter, which should have been routine, they didn’t realize what they had done, and when they did, they didn’t take definitive action to correct their error,” said Ernie Teitell, a partner in Silver Golub & Teitell who represents the estate of Abichet, with SGT partner Marco Allocca, in a statement.

“There were many opportunities to intervene and save his life, and the doctors missed all of them,” said Teitell. The law office, contacted about the lawsuit, referred The Courant to the statement. The suit is filed on behalf of Abichet’s estate, including his wife.

The firm alleged, in the statement, that “doctors at the hospital caused the bladder perforation by improperly placing the suprapubic catheter through the bladder initially, and then failed to remove the misplaced catheter or address the bladder injury and resulting hematoma, causing his condition to worsen over the next month during his admission at the hospital ultimately leading to his death.”

A spokesperson for Bridgeport Hospital, which is part of Yale New Haven Health system, said  “Bridgeport Hospital is aware of this lawsuit and is committed to providing the safest and highest quality of care possible, however, we are unable to comment on pending litigation.”

The lawsuit claims Abichet suffered “considerable pain, trauma, distress and expense prior to his death.”

The lawsuit claims the Yale Health defendants, through their employees, and others, “were required to provide to Mr. Abichet that level of care, skill and treatment which, in light of all relevant surrounding circumstances, is recognized as acceptable and appropriate by reasonably prudent similar health care providers.”  The case has been claimed for a jury trial, online records show.

Abichet, 55, went to Bridgeport Hospital on Nov. 22, 2023 because his visiting nurse was unable to replace his suprapubic catheter, the lawsuit says.

As the hospital, emergency department staff were not able “to pass a regular Foley catheter, interventional radiology was requested to evaluate Mr. Abichet to replace his suprapubic catheter,” the suit says.

Following the placement of the suprapubic catheter, Abichet was discharged back to his nursing home, but went back to the hospital the next day “after his dialysis center noted blood in the suprapubic catheter bag,” the suit says.

Abichet also “complained of persistent abdominal pain with no relief,” the suit says.

A doctor who saw and examined Abichet that day, “noted that the suprapubic catheter appeared to be ‘skived’ through the superior portion of the  bladder or immediately above the bladder and terminated in the hematoma and recommended general surgery consultation for evaluation and management of the pelvic hematoma and deferred to the surgery service for management of the pelvic hematoma,” the suit claims.

On Nov. 25, 2023, a doctor placed a Foley catheter, noting that “per general surgery’s recommendation, the pelvic hematoma would be managed conservatively and continued to defer to surgery for management of the hematoma. He further recommended managing”  Abichet’s “bladder injury conservatively and deferred a cystogram or CT cystogram until three to four weeks after removal of the suprapubic catheter which was still inserted,” the suit claims.

The doctor allegedly “noted that radiological studies revealed that the suprapubic catheter appeared to have possibly transversed through the bladder walls with the distal pigtail in the pelvis with moderate hematoma surrounding the catheter in the pelvis,” according to the suit.

Abichet was then examined the next day by a surgeon, who “continued to recommend no surgical intervention and conservative management,” the suit alleges.

“Despite Mr. Abichet’s clinical presentation and condition, including his large hematoma and bladder perforation, the plan put in place by the urology, interventional radiology and surgical services remained unchanged and Mr. Abichet’s condition was managed conservatively without any surgical or interventional radiology intervention,” the suit alleges.

By Nov. 29, 2023, Abichet’s “abdomen was noted to be distended, and a foul odor was noted around the suprapubic catheter site. The plan was to discuss potential removal of the suprapubic catheter and to perform wound cultures,” the suit claims.

On Dec 1, 2023, Abichet was seen and examined by a doctor, who “removed the suprapubic catheter since it was not definitively in the bladder” and “Abichet had a functioning urethral catheter, and made a plan to “repeat a CT scan when Mr. Abichet was an outpatient in two to (four) weeks and, if the perivescial hematoma resolved, removal of the urethral catheter depending on urine output.” That doctor made “no further recommendations for any additional immediate intervention, the suit claims.

By Dec. 2, 2023, Abichet developed a fever of 102 degrees and the next day “remained febrile with a fever of 102.4 degrees,” and “it was noted that his fever was likely due to a urinary tract infection and he was empirically started on vancomycin and cefepime.”

When, on or about Dec. 7, 2023, Abichet underwent an ultrasound guided paracentesis “to treat his ongoing massive ascites,” a member of the interventional radiology service removed approximately 1.3 liters of blood drainage from the right mid-abdomen, the suit claims.

The next day, Abichet was seen and examined “and the surgical service continued to recommend conservative measures and no surgical intervention,” the suit claims.

Abichet was transferred to the medical intensive care unit “for management of septic and circulatory shock on December 8, 2023,” and amid “worsening circulatory shock” and other conditions, including increasing abdominal pain,”  and a CT scan of “the abdomen and pelvis revealed what was likely infectious peritonitis,” the suit alleges.

By Dec. 18, 2023, Abichet “had worsening vasopressor requirements and tenuous respiratory and mental status. Though he was arousable, his speech was incomprehensible, and he was unable to answer questions,” the suit claims.

The next day, “Abichet experienced respiratory arrest and had to be emergently intubated. His vasopressor requirement increased and shock symptoms worsened. The likely source was noted to be peritonitis,” the suit claims.

On Dec. 23, 2024, Abichet “was placed on comfort measures only due to his worsening clinical condition. Mr. Abichet’s condition continued to deteriorate until his death on December 24, 2023,” the suit claims.

His cause of death was noted as “complications of urinary bladder perforation, replacement of suprapubic catheter, and benign prostatic hypertrophy,” the suit claims.

The suit alleges, “the Yale Defendants were negligent and thereby caused injury and the death of Yves Abichet in that their employees, authorized representatives, actual agents, apparent agents and/or  servants,” and allegedly “failed to exercise the degree of care, skill and diligence required under similar circumstances” in one or more of these respects: “they misinterpreted the location and position of the bladder on radiological imaging;” in that “they misplaced the intended suprapubic catheter;” in that they injured the bladder in the course of misplacing the suprapubic catheter;”  they “failed to recognize the size and extent of the bladder injury; and “failed to perform a timely evacuation surgery.”