I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding the orthopedic care my son received from Dr…read more Victor Macko at Sutter Gould Medical Foundation.
My son initially injured his left ankle during football conditioning and was seen at Sutter Urgent Care on June 2, 2025, by Dr. Trieu Pham. X-rays revealed a mildly displaced comminuted fracture of the distal fibular diaphysis. Despite this diagnosis, my son continued to experience significant pain.
We returned to urgent care on June 4, 2025, due to his ongoing pain. We were informed that he needed to be evaluated by Orthopedics, and he was subsequently seen by Dr. Victor Macko for a fracture of the distal fibula proximal to the syndesmosis.
During this appointment, Dr. Macko did not order any follow-up imaging, including additional X-rays or an MRI. My son thoroughly explained the mechanism of injury and described the severe pain he was experiencing. Despite these concerns, Dr. Macko placed him in a walking boot and instructed him to continue using it.
Over the next two months, my son consistently complained of significant pain and swelling. His foot would swell dramatically after walking through the school day, and he continued to miss school because of the discomfort. This affected his academic performance, as his grades dropped due to missed instruction and difficulty participating in physical education. He was also unable to participate in sports tryouts and other summer activities.
At a follow-up visit on June 30, 2025, Dr. Macko ordered repeat X-rays, which showed:
"The comminuted fracture of the distal half of the fibula is noted with no change in position and callus formation developing."
No additional diagnostic testing was ordered, and surgical intervention was not discussed.
At another follow-up appointment on July 28, 2025, additional X-rays were performed, but again, no MRI was ordered, and surgery was never mentioned. My son remained in a walking boot.
A final telephone appointment took place on August 22, 2025. No new imaging was ordered, no further treatment was recommended, and no additional follow-up was scheduled. By this time, Dr. Macko had retired.
Because my son continued to experience persistent pain, we sought another orthopedic opinion and saw Dr. Johnson on August 28, 2025. Dr. Johnson immediately addressed our concerns by ordering physical therapy, new X-rays, and an MRI.
The MRI performed on April 9, 2026, revealed a suspected nondisplaced fracture of the lateral malleolus with associated bone edema. Given the length of time since the original injury, my son should have already been fully healed. Instead, the imaging demonstrated that his injury had not properly resolved.
As a result of these findings, my son underwent surgery on April 21, 2026.
I believe my son suffered unnecessarily due to Dr. Macko's failure to adequately evaluate his injury, investigate his persistent symptoms, and respond appropriately to repeated complaints of pain and swelling. Dr. Macko appeared to focus solely on the fibular fracture and did not fully assess the ankle itself, which ultimately delayed proper diagnosis and treatment for nearly a year.
This delay caused my son:
Prolonged and unnecessary physical pain
Significant swelling and functional limitations
Loss of participation in sports and physical education
Missed school days
Declining academic performance
Emotional distress and frustration
Our family has been with Sutter Gould for many years, and we have generally had excellent experiences. However, this situation has been deeply disappointing and heartbreaking. It is very difficult to accept that my son endured nearly a year of pain and disruption to his education and activities because his concerns were not taken seriously.
In light of the significant physical, emotional, academic, and financial impact this situation has had on our family, I believe this matter warrants a fair resolution. We incurred substantial stress, repeated medical visits, time away from work and school, and emotional hardship as a direct result of the delayed diagnosis and treatment. I respectfully request that Sutter Health review this matter and discuss appropriate compensation to address the harm caused to my son and our family. Sutter DOES NOT care about patients only protecting their doctors, and Patient Advocacy is a joke, Melinda RN who I have gotten a few letters from and one email does not respond or listen, I have yet to get a response from her or Risk Management who I asked this concern to go to.
