Logan Regional Medical Center
CHARLESTON – A Logan County couple claims a surgeon performed unnecessary sinus surgery that left the husband with a permanent, irreversible condition known as Empty Nose Syndrome.
Billy R. Sipple Jr. and Angela Sipple filed their complaint April 13 in federal court against Logan General Hospital LLC doing business as Logan Regional Medical Group.
According to the complaint, Billy Sipple was first referred to otolaryngologist Dr. A. Karim Katrib in late 2021 for chronic sinus issues and presented to him at Logan General on December 12, 2023, with longstanding nasal congestion, sinus pressure, sore throat, snoring, mouth breathing and an inability to breathe through his nose “for years.” A rigid nasal endoscopy allegedly showed severe obstruction in both nasal passages, and a subsequent CT scan on December 22, 2023, documented minimal chronic mucosal thickening and a deviated nasal septum.
At a January 4, 2024 follow-up visit, Katrib assessed Sipple with chronic pansinusitis, nasal obstruction and a deviated septum and, “without having reviewed” the CT scans, recommended nasal and sinus surgery “as soon as possible,” according to the complaint.
The lawsuit says no consent form or documentation was ever provided to, explained to or signed by Sipple regarding the planned surgery or the procedures Katrib ultimately performed.
On February 21, 2024, Sipple underwent surgery at Logan Regional that Katrib documented as functional endoscopic sinus surgery, nasoseptal reconstruction, bilateral submucosal resection of the inferior turbinates, bilateral middle maxillary windows and bilateral removal of large concha bullosa of the middle turbinates.
During that operation, the complaint claims Katrib “completely and unnecessarily removed the inferior turbinates” without Sipple’s informed consent, after which Sipple experienced a burning sensation in his nose but was discharged home the same day.
In the weeks that followed, Sipple returned repeatedly for office-based sinus debridements under local anesthesia as he complained of pain, congestion, sinus pressure, headaches and a sensation that nasal rinses were going into his ear, according to the complaint. Katrib allegedly continued to reassure Sipple that his nose was healing well and told him to “give it more time,” even as symptoms persisted through at least September 2024.
As Sipple’s symptoms worsened, a nurse practitioner referred him to Huntington otolaryngologist Dr. George S. Dawson II, who first evaluated him on Nov. 25, 2024. Dawson’s endoscopic exam showed “complete surgical absence of the right and left inferior turbinates,” and he diagnosed Sipple with Empty Nose Syndrome, a condition the suit describes as permanent, irreversible and not amenable to corrective surgery.
“Dr. Dawson noted that Mr. Sipple continued with the problems he was initially seen for and was to follow-up as needed,” the complaint states. “Dr. Dawson advised Mr. Sipple again there was nothing that could be medically done for his Empty Nose Syndrome.”
The complaint alleges that the care provided by Katrib and Logan General was, in part, not medically necessary, was performed without informed consent and resulted in Sipple’s Empty Nose Syndrome and “permanent and significant functional impairment to his breathing.”
It says there is no available treatment or surgical repair that can restore Sipple to his preoperative condition and that he has suffered and will continue to suffer pain, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress and ongoing medical expenses.
Angela Sipple brings a loss of consortium claim. The couple also contends Logan General is vicariously liable under respondeat superior and apparent agency doctrines for the acts and omissions of Katrib and other agents, servants and employees.
They accuse the defendants of negligent care and lack of informed consent.
The Sipples seek compensatory damages for medical expenses, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life and other losses, along with punitive damages, attorney fees, court costs, pre- and post-judgment interests.
They are being represented by Bert Ketchum and Michael C. Walker of Greene Ketchum Bailey & Tweel in Huntington.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia case number 2:26‑cv‑00262
