Iowa Man Files Lawsuit After Being Misdiagnosed With Cancer

Rickie Lee Huitt of Panora, Iowa was told he only had five years to live if he didn't have surgery to remove his prostate. He chose to have the surgery.

Turns out the diagnosis was completely wrong. Rickie didn't have cancer and his prostate did not need to be removed.

According to court documents, a scanner glitch is to blame. Pathologist Joy Trueblood said "there were two patients that day that had prostate biopsies" and that Rickie's got mixed up with another patient's.

"I’m responsible — it was a horrible situation," Trueblood admitted in court documents.

The surgery took place in April 2017 and Rickie was told he could face "incontinence and erectile dysfunction" afterward. Further testing on the removed prostate showed no cancer present.

What happened to the other patient that was told he didn't have cancer but actually did? According to Fox 13, the Iowa Clinic notified him and he underwent necessary treatments.