Prisoner’s Stomach Illness Leads to Burst Appendix HDC Finds Corrections Violated Patient Rights

A female prisoner experienced severe pain from a burst appendix but was initially told by a nurse to “ride out” her symptoms, which were misdiagnosed as a stomach bug. After a week of worsening conditions, she underwent emergency surgery to remove the appendix and a section of her intestine due to infection. The Department of Corrections acknowledged that the medical care provided was substandard, attributing it to staffing shortages at the prison health center. The woman expressed difficulty in coping with the trauma of the situation, which she will carry for life.

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