Abby Lee Miller’s Malpractice Suit: Catheter Allegedly Left Behind at Cedars-Sinai
Cutting through the noise, Abby Lee Miller has officially accused Cedars-Sinai Medical Center of a shocking surgical oversight that left a catheter lodged inside her body after a recent procedure. In a malpractice complaint filed June 2, 2025, at Los Angeles County Superior Court, the Dance Moms alum claims she underwent surgery at Cedars-Sinai on May 18 and awoke to “intense pain, swelling, and infection” before discovering a foreign device had been abandoned during her recovery (court records, TMZ June 3).
Her legal team asserts Miller spent three agonizing days in the hospital fighting unexplained complications and demanding answers. “I felt like my own body was betraying me,” the 57-year-old reality star said in a sworn declaration obtained by People Magazine June 5. According to the suit, Miller required an emergency follow-up operation on May 21 to remove the errant catheter, which doctors only located after extensive imaging studies.
She’s seeking substantial damages to cover “medical expenses, emotional distress, and punitive relief” for what her attorneys call “a blatant departure from the accepted standard of care.” Court filings describe a cascade of alleged missteps: a misread surgical checklist, an incomplete instrument count, and a delay in diagnosing the cause of Miller’s worsening condition.
Cedars-Sinai, one of the nation’s top-ranked hospitals, offered a brief statement through spokesperson Lydia Washington: “We take patient safety seriously and are reviewing Abby Lee Miller’s claims.” The hospital has a long-standing protocol for device tracking, but the lawsuit contends that critical steps were skipped, creating a “nightmarish medical oversight” by a team of surgeons, nurses, and operating-room staff.
Medical experts weigh in throughout the filings. Dr. Karen Lu of UCLA Health, cited as an independent reviewer, warns that retained surgical instruments “can lead to severe infection, organ damage, and even death” if not promptly addressed (The Hollywood Reporter, June 4). Meanwhile, Cedars’ defense attorneys hint at disputing causation, suggesting Miller’s prior health conditions could complicate her allegations.
This high-profile clash raises urgent questions about surgical safety protocols at major medical centers. For a star who battled cancer and nerve damage in recent years, the pain of another invasive procedure—and now a public legal battle—adds fresh drama to her already turbulent life.
And there you have it: Miller’s courtroom showdown with Cedars-Sinai is set to reveal whether a top hospital can answer for an alleged lapse that no patient expects. Stay tuned—this one’s far from over.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ, People Magazine, Los Angeles County Superior Court filings, The Hollywood Reporter
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
