Maine woman awarded vast fortune after blundering surgeon removed her bladder instead of ovarian cyst

A Maine mother has been awarded $15.75 million (about £12.3 million) after a surgeon mistakenly removed her bladder instead of an ovarian cyst during a routine operation. Emily Mitchell, 43, of Skowhegan, endured years of further surgery and ongoing medical complications as a result of the error, which triggered a lengthy legal battle before a jury finally awarded her compensation more than three years after the botched procedure.

The operation was carried out by Dr Danielle Gagnon, and the mistake led to a series of follow-up procedures, including one in which surgeons had to construct Mitchell a new bladder using tissue taken from her intestine. She continues to require ongoing medical treatment and suffers recurring urinary tract infections as a consequence. The nine-person jury delivered its verdict in Kennebec County Superior Court, according to the Bangor Daily News.