Miller Is Seeking $1.5 Million in Damages, Claiming Doctors Failed to Remove a Catheter
Abby Lee Miller, the former star of the reality TV show Dance Moms, has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, alleging that doctors left a catheter inside her body during spinal surgery in 2020 and ignored her complaints of chronic pain for years.
The suit, filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, names Cedars-Sinai Marina Del Rey Hospital and two physicians, Dr. Hooman Melamed and Dr. Paul Dwan, as defendants. Miller, 59, is seeking $1.5 million in damages for medical negligence, professional negligence, and medical battery.
Miller’s attorney, Nadine Lewis, said, as quoted by People Magazine, “Abby Lee Miller suffered for years from an object left inside of her during spinal surgery; despite complaints to various physicians, not one ordered imaging of any kind to diagnose the source of her pain.”
According to court filings, Miller underwent emergency spinal surgery in 2020 and has been paraplegic since the procedure. The lawsuit claims that physicians failed to remove a bright blue catheter, which remained lodged in her abdomen for nearly four years.
Despite repeated reports of pain and discomfort, Miller alleges her concerns were dismissed by healthcare providers.
The pain became severe in early 2024, prompting a visit to another hospital for an unrelated medical issue. There, doctors ordered a CT scan, which revealed a foreign object inside her abdomen. The catheter was surgically removed in June.
A spokesperson for Cedars-Sinai declined to comment, citing ongoing litigation and privacy laws. Attempts to reach Dr. Melamed were unsuccessful; a receptionist disconnected the call when asked for comment. Dr. Dwan declined to respond to inquiries.
