Dentist Dropped Tool Down Woman's Throat, Lawsuit Claims

Kentucky resident Lena David alleges that her dentist, W.B. Galbreath, dropped a screwdriver down her throat that ultimately had to be surgically removed.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- A Kentucky woman is suing a dentist, accusing him of dropping a small screwdriver down her throat that migrated to her digestive tract and later required surgery to remove.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Fayette Circuit Court in Lexington by 71-year-old Lena David of Nicholasville. David claims Dr. W.B. Galbreath told her to try to regurgitate the screwdriver and then sent her for X-rays when that did not work.

Galbreath did not return a message left at his office Friday by The Associated Press.

The lawsuit says that the X-rays showed the screwdriver in David's stomach, and that the dentist discharged her with instructions to "eat a diet high in fiber."

In June 2011, about a month after swallowing the screwdriver, David checked into a hospital with abdominal pain and had to have the screwdriver removed.

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Comments

[Roya Levi]

07:19 PM on 07/17/2012

As funny as it may seem, this article raises an important subject of patient rights.
As horrible as it may sound, doctors and dentists do make mistakes. And if some mistakes are simply beyond patients’ control, and patients often have to trust the expertise of their healthcare providers, more simple medical errors can often be prevented by patients themselves. Make sure that before you go in for your next dental or medical visit, you as a patient know your rights and can protect yourself!
Do you know your rights as a patient? Read more at: http://www.royalevidds.com/blog/post/do-you-know-your-rights-as-a-patient.html

[Sara from Store Hours]

07:08 AM on 05/28/2012

Ah..!!! horrible, i heard very first time that dentist use screwdriver to remove throat.

[Kathie Shaffer]

12:51 PM on 05/05/2012

i personnaly don't blame her ONE BIT !!!!

[VA Jill]

06:49 PM on 05/03/2012

Anyone who thinks this sort of thing is funny has never been the victim of dental malpractice or tried to get compensation for it. I am still dealing with injuries caused by an incompetent dentist 15 years ago, and although he's had several malpractice suits filed against him, he is still practicing. He seems to think he can wait his victims out.

[VA Jill]

06:43 PM on 05/03/2012

Anyone whomthinksmthis sort

[Govt Cheese]

11:40 PM on 05/01/2012

Not the tool I was thinking of. That is misleading.

[Jill from NYC]

09:41 PM on 04/30/2012

Now that is seriously screwed up.

[caveredecorator]

03:16 PM on 04/30/2012

i just swallowed a screw driver. i'm eating a high fiber diet. i'm sure everything will come out o.k. in the end.

[caveredecorator]

03:10 PM on 04/30/2012

first question to ask when screening your dentist. '' you dont have any screw drivers do you?''

[think-it-over]

02:26 PM on 04/30/2012

How come you never see a bumper sticker that says "Dentists Do It In Your Mouth"?

[swampmonster]

09:59 AM on 04/30/2012

hmm dentist with a screwdriver? guess ill hang my pictures with an impact wrench

[acarioti]

08:57 AM on 04/30/2012

She's screwed.

[Larry Q Lawyer]

05:06 AM on 04/30/2012

That's the first place they would want to drop their "TOOL"

[lizp33558]

04:05 AM on 04/30/2012

There's a dentist who should not be practicing.

[carinined]

01:28 AM on 04/30/2012

so she knew the screwdriver was in there and still waited the month? hilarious article lol

[Jill from NYC]

09:43 PM on 04/30/2012

She should have eaten a whole pack of Ex-Lax and shortened the wait period considerably.