Interior Health and Penticton surgeon sued by patient

The patient of an alleged botched surgery at the Penticton Regional Hospital was not properly informed of the risks, she claims in a lawsuit.

Penticton Dr. Julie Ryckman, an obstetrician and gynecologist, performed a surgery on patient Jessica Jane Stelkia to remove a cyst from her ovary on Jan. 3, 2020, according to a lawsuit filed Dec. 30, 2021 with the Supreme Court of B.C. in Kelowna.

The surgery did not going accordingly. One week later, Stelkia went to the South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver after two days of chills, sweats, vomiting and pain. She had an elevated white blood cell count, an elevated creatinine, and evidence of kidney compromise, she claimed in the suit.

It was then discovered that Stelkia's right ureter had been severed. Soon after, she had a nephrostomy tube inserted through her skin into her right kidney so urine could drain into an external bag. Several more procedures would be required over the next nine months to treat her severed ureter, she alleged.

"Dr. Ryckman lacked the skill, knowledge or judgement to properly carry out the procedure,” according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleged the mistake was a result of negligence, that Dr. Ryckman did not properly inform the patient of the risks of that surgery. The surgeon had a responsibility to not injure the patient, and also to obtain informed consent from the patient.

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Interior Health, which is also named as a deferent on the lawsuit, “knew or ought to have known that failure to treat the plaintiff appropriately could result in injury to the plaintiff.”

Stelkia is seeking the past and future costs of the health care services she will require as a result of Dr. Ryckman and Interior Health’s “wrongful conduct.”

None of these allegations have been proven in court. Interior Health and Dr. Ryckman have not yet filed a response to the suit.

Interior Health said in an email, Jan. 8, that a response cannot be provided until Monday, Jan. 10.

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