California (Thechieftainspear) – A routine knee surgery at UC Irvine Medical Center took a devastating turn for a Riverside County man, leading to the amputation of most of his left leg. Now, he and his wife are suing the University of California Board of Regents, alleging negligence and medical malpractice.
Wayne Wolff, a 58-year-old electrician from Perris, underwent what should have been a standard outpatient procedure in April 2024 to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. However, complications during the surgery, performed by Dr. Dean Wang, left Wolff with catastrophic injuries, according to a lawsuit filed on February 11 in Orange County Superior Court.
Allegations of Surgical Errors and Delayed Treatment
According to the lawsuit, Dr. Wang, head of sports medicine at UC Irvine, mistakenly severed and cauterized a major artery, mistaking it for a vein. This cut off blood flow to Wolff’s lower leg, causing significant damage.
The suit claims that hospital staff struggled for nearly 40 minutes to control the bleeding. After the procedure, Dr. Wang allegedly downplayed the severity of the situation, telling Wolff’s wife, Lisa Wolff, that he had only “nicked a vein”—a statement the lawsuit claims misrepresented the seriousness of the injury.
Despite experiencing excruciating pain, Wolff was not transferred to intensive care, and Lisa—who has years of experience as an emergency room nurse—was dismissed when she expressed concern that her husband’s symptoms did not align with a typical meniscus repair.
One attending physician even suggested Wolff might be a narcotics abuser, rather than investigating the source of his worsening condition, the lawsuit alleges.
Delayed Ultrasound and Worsening Condition
For two days, despite obvious signs of serious circulation issues—including severe swelling, lack of a pulse in his foot, and an inability to move his toes—requests for an ultrasound were allegedly denied.
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When a physician finally ordered an ultrasound, Dr. Wang canceled it, further delaying any potential intervention, according to the lawsuit.
Three days after the initial procedure, Dr. Wang performed a second surgery, later telling Lisa Wolff that her husband had developed a blood clot in the artery. However, when a vascular surgeon conducted a third operation, no clot was found. Instead, it was confirmed that the artery had been severed during the first surgery, leading to irreversible damage.
Ultimately, Wolff lost most of his left leg below the knee.
When Lisa confronted Dr. Wang about the delays in imaging and treatment, he allegedly responded: “I don’t know.”
Seeking Justice
The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, accuses the hospital and Dr. Wang of negligence, medical malpractice, emotional distress, and loss of consortium.
A UC Irvine Medical Center spokesperson declined to comment on the case, citing ongoing litigation.
As the legal battle unfolds, the Wolff family hopes to hold the hospital accountable for the life-changing consequences of what was supposed to be a simple knee surgery.
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