Document Oz6Xdb3jzEeZ7L81xR1K7wqjp
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1 the pulmonary lab at the University of Maryland,
1 Vandergucht underwent a liver scan.
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2 Professor of the University of Maryland and he is the 2 He underwent a proctosigmoidoscopy. They
3 head of that department, and he will also testify that
3 were looking for the primary cancer that was in the
4 Mr. Grewe suffered from malignant mesothelioma caused 4 umbilical that they didn't know what the origin was.
5 by asbestos exposure.
5 He continued, had a colonoscopy, there were
6 The next case I want to talk to you about
6 some polyps, but they were benign.
7 is Mr. Jean Vandergucht.
7 In November of 1980, he went in for an
8 Mr. Vandergucht was bom in August of 1912
8 exploratory laparotomy because Dr. Steers told Mr. and
9 in Belgium. In 1939 he came to the United States and
9 Mrs. Vandergucht we have to find the origin of the
10 became a merchant seaman and stayed a merchant seaman 10 tumor, so they did a laparotomy, an exploration in the
11 from about 1939 to the late '40s.
11 abdominal cavity.
12 He met Mrs. Vandergucht in Denmark, and in 12 He had something called intra-abdominal
13 1947 they were married. He was about 37, and she was 13 ascites. You see the peritoneal mesothelioma, the
14 about 25.
14 tumor is fluid and the fluid accumulates and builds up
15 They were married in Denmark, and he came
15 and continues to build up, it is not supposed to be
16 back to the United States in '47; and she followed him
16 there, but it is there and it continues to build up
17 in 1948. Came here, she learned the language, and she 17 and it has to be drained.
18 stayed here in the United States.
18 They did the operation and removed about
19 Mr. and Mrs. Vandergucht had two children.
19 1.84 gallons of fluid from his abdominal cavity. They
20 one grandchild. They live in the Manchester area.
20 did that when they did the laparotomy.
21 They had a farm, and Mr. Vandergucht liked
21 When they did the exploration, they opened
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1 to farm. He had cattle. He had chickens. He had
1 his abdominal cavity and found widespread peritoneal
2 ducks. He wanted to be a farmer.
2 spread of the cancer throughout the entire cavity.
3
He was retired at the age of 67, but in 1980
3 Diffuse.
4 he was diagnosed with mesothelioma.
4 It spreads over the surface of the lining of
5 It started off as a firm painful
5 the abdomen. It spreads and develops in the very
6 incarcerated umbilical hernia. It looked almost like
6 lining that is there to protect and help those organs
7 a finger, top of a finger sticking through his belly
7 to operate properly.
8 button.
8 They installed some treatment, chemotherapy.
9
As soon as he felt the lump, he went right
9 but it was unsuccessful. And he was diagnosed with
10 to his family physician, Dr. Foard up in the
10 mesothelioma. Mr. Vandergucht was given a death
11 Manchester area who referred him to a surgeon, Dr. 11 sentence. He was told there was nothing they could
12 John Steers in October of 1980 who did an operation 12 do.
13 and repaired what he thought was a normal procedure, 13
They would attempt to do some chemotherapy
14 incarcerated umbilical hernia.
14 for him which he underwent in December through
15
You will hear Dr. Steers testify, as soon as
15 February by Dr. Heyman. He, again, had bad reactions
16 he cut open Mr. Vandergucht and opened that part of 16 and had some vomiting.
17 the abdominal cavity which is known as the omentum, 17
In February of '81, he thought the
18 which is a fold in there, he saw nothing but cancer.
18 chemotherapy was working, but unfortunately it
19 He thought that it was a GI tract tumor.
19 relapsed.
20 The pathologist looked at it and said possibly it was
20
Mr. Vandergucht, you will hear, was a big
21 a mesothelioma. They weren't sure. Therefore, Mr. 21 man. He was about 205 pounds before he got sick. He
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