Professional Negligence Law Reporter

Urogynecologist Stephanie Kielb diagnosed Rebecca Cribari, 45, as having urge incontinence. Kielb’s physician assistant later diagnosed Cribari with stress incontinence and recommended a retropubic mesh sling. Immediately after Kielb performed surgery to place the sling, Cribari experienced pain and was unable to urinate completely. Another physician later determined that the mesh sling had been placed too tightly. A second procedure failed to relieve Cribari’s pain, and she later underwent surgery to remove the mesh sling. She continues to suffer pain and burning due to nerve damage.

Cribari and her husband sued Kielb and others, alleging failure to diagnose stress urinary incontinence before placing the retropubic mesh sling. The plaintiffs asserted that the defendant had placed a sling that was not indicated and improperly placed it in the obturator internus muscle. Suit also alleged that the defendant had failed to recognize and act on Cribari’s postsurgical complications. The plaintiffs did not claim lost income.

The jury found in favor of the plaintiffs and awarded them more than $10.44 million.

Citation: Cribari v. Kielb, No. 2020 L 009442 (Ill. Cir. Ct. Cook Cnty. Mar. 19, 2024).

Plaintiff counsel: AAJ members Carolyn S. Daley and Dominic C. LoVerde, Chicago.