SEATTLE — A Seattle doctor permanently paralyzed after a surgery at UW’s Harborview Medical Center filed a tort claim last month, accusing the doctors who performed the procedure of negligence and not properly detailing the risks involved.
According to the tort claim filed March 21, Dr. Ron Ko had surgery at UW Harborview to remove a spinal cord neoplasm, a benign tumor.
The surgeons told Ko the plan was to biopsy the tumor and try resection if possible, the claim explained. Ko said his neurosurgeons assured him he was expected to fully recover within three months and return to work as a general dentist. According to the claim, Ko was told he might experience temporary weakness after the operation, but he was considered low-risk for complications because of his health and lack of comorbidities…