A Peoria County, Illinois jury found pediatric surgeon Dr. Mark J. Holterman negligent in connection with his treatment of a 9-month-old girl at OSF Children’s Hospital in 2011. The May 2024 verdict awarded the girl, who was 13 at the time of trial, more than $2 million in damages.
The case stemmed from treatment after the infant was brought to the hospital following a choking episode. Mark Holterman discovered a piece of carrot in her esophagus as well as a narrowed area known as a stricture. During treatment of the stricture, the girl’s esophagus suffered an approximately two-centimeter tear.
According to the case presented by the girl’s attorneys, Holterman attempted to address the injury using an adult airway stent that had not been approved for use in an infant’s esophagus. The stent entered the child’s stomach and remained there for approximately 11 months. During that period, the child experienced feeding difficulties and became dependent on a feeding tube.
At trial, the girl’s attorneys argued that Holterman used an outdated dilation device and excessive pressure during the procedure. They also challenged his decision to use the adult airway stent. The jury ultimately determined that Holterman was negligent and awarded more than $2 million in damages.
About Dr. Mark Holterman
Mark Holterman is a physician, pediatric surgeon, researcher and healthcare entrepreneur with an extensive background in pediatric surgery and regenerative medicine. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Yale University, graduating cum laude, before completing both his M.D. and Ph.D. in medicine and immunology at the University of Virginia.
Holterman’s academic career has included more than two decades at the University of Illinois, where he has served as a professor of surgery and pediatrics and chief of pediatric surgery. His clinical experience has also included positions at Rush University Medical Center and Advocate Children’s Hospital. From 2011 to 2017, he practiced pediatric surgery at OSF Children’s Hospital in Peoria.
Outside of clinical medicine, Holterman founded Mariam Global Health, an investment and business-management organization focused on healthcare innovation. In 2015, he became the founding CEO of AMARI International, an organization focused on regenerative medicine, cellular therapies, research and translating emerging medical technologies into clinical applications.
The 2024 malpractice verdict relates specifically to Mark Holterman’s treatment of the infant in 2011 and resulted in the jury finding him negligent and awarding the patient more than $2 million in damages.
Source: https://www.rblaw.net/pressrelease-verdict-medical-negligence-pediatric-surgeon-mark-holterman-md