Attorney general to release report on year-long email probe

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Luzerne County may hire a Realtor to help unload county-owned properties

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The son of Nanticoke man who was killed when a Wilkes-Barre General Hospital doctor fractured his neck filed a medical malpractice suit Monday on claims an unnecessary procedure caused the father of three&#8217;s death.</p><p>Bernard Ford, 62, died eight days after Dr. Noel Estioko allegedly caused the fracture by ordering an emergency airway assistance procedure, according to the lawsuit, filed in Luzerne County Court on behalf of Ford&#8217;s son, James Ford.</p><p>The elder Ford, an arthritic who suffered from a skeletal disorder, arrived at the hospital March 29 complaining of shortness of breath.</p><p>But during the intubation process, which the lawsuit alleges did not need to be emergent, Estioko fractured Ford&#8217;s cervical spine, the lawsuit states, adding the procedure was performed without the consent of Ford or his wife. Estioko noted consent was &#8220;implied,&#8221; according to the lawsuit.</p><p>A spokesperson for Commonwealth Health System, which owns Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, declined Monday to comment on the lawsuit.</p><p>Estioko &#8220;knew or should have known that (Ford&#8217;s) health history and arthritic condition with highly suspected advanced axial arthritis of the cervical spine put him at risk for complications during an emergent intubation and that &#8230; Estioko should have used a less-traumatic method,&#8221; Wilkes-Barre-based attorneys Patrick Doyle and Kelly Ciravolo say in the lawsuit.</p><p>Ford was placed in intensive care until he was taken off life support on April 6.</p><p>The lawsuit seeks damages against the hospital and Estioko.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Joe Dolinsky</p><p>jdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Son of Nanticoke man sues hospital for father’s fractured neck, death