Marty Balin - Major Bummer

Jefferson Airplane singer Marty Balin sues over botched surgery that left him with half his tongue

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A founder of Jefferson Airplane lost part of his tongue and his left thumb following a botched surgery at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Hospital, a new lawsuit charges.

Marty Balin’s ghastly complications following open heart surgery on March 11, 2016 took away his ability to play guitar or sing, he says in a suit filed late Thursday in Manhattan Federal Court.

Balin — who wrote and sang hits like “It’s No Secret,” “Plastic Fantastic Lover” and “Comin’ Back To Me” — had been in town for a show at the Cutting Room in Midtown when he suffered heart problems that required he have heart surgery, including a triple bypass and valve replacement.

The 76-year-old singer says he never should have ended up at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, which at the time was in the process of closing so it could be replaced by a smaller building on E. 17th St.

“The personnel in charge knew that the hospital was inadequately staffed, particularly in the recovery unit where Mr. Balin was sent after undergoing open heart surgery,” his suit says.

After the operation, Balin had to undergo a tracheotomy that resulted in his tongue and vocal cords being damaged, the suit says. Tissue on his left thumb died, requiring it be amputated.

“Mr. Balin walked into the hospital able to speak and with fully functional left hand,” the suit says. “By the time Mr. Balin was finally released from the hospital, he had lost half his tongue so that he cannot speak or eat properly.; he also has a paralyzed vocal cord; he has a necrotic left hand and has lost his left thumb; he had become totally disabled and has never recovered properly.”

The suit seeks unspecified damages on behalf of Balin and his wife, Susan.

“As a matter of policy, we cannot comment on the specifics of this case because it is a pending legal matter but we can share our highest priority is delivering the highest level of compassionate care to our patients,” a Mount Sinai spokeswoman said.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-metro-jefferson-airplane-surgery-...