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A patient who went to see a Bend doctor about a bent finger alleges in a lawsuit that the doctor injured the finger, which ended up being amputated, according to the complaint filed in Deschutes County Circuit Court.

What’s more, there was no record in the patient’s chart reflecting the injury that caused the amputation, according to the lawsuit. The suit alleges the physician, Dr. James Verheyden at The Center Orthopedic & Neurosurgical Care & Research, was manipulating the finger and dislocated one of the finger joints, according to the complaint.

Patient Ty Cieloha, who went to see Verheyden Oct. 15, 2020, is seeking $950,000 in damages, according to the lawsuit.

Neither Verheyden nor Cieloha’s attorney responded to calls and emails from The Bulletin.

“The Center stands by its providers and the care provided to our patients,” said Brett Hazlett, CEO of The Center.

He said since the case is currently in litigation, he was unable to provide additional information.

Cieloha said in the complaint that he saw the physician for treatment of his left small finger that had previously been diagnosed with Dupuytren’s contracture, a painless condition that causes a finger to bend toward the palm of the hand.

In the complaint, Cieloha said Verheyden injected collagen into his left ring and small finger.

The patient returned the next day, when the physician manipulated the finger.

While doing so, the physician allegedly applied too much force and dislocated a joint.

But Verheyden did not note that in the patient’s chart, nor pop the joint back in, according to the court document.

A cast was put on the finger, and Cieloha said he was sent home, according to the complaint. Throughout the next couple of days, Cieloha reported intense pain. Four days later he returned to the doctor’s office where Verheyden popped the finger back into the joint.

Cieloha’s medical records do not include any mention of a dislocated joint, the complaint alleges.

Two months later, Cieloha returned to the doctor for a follow up. Surgery was performed, and by April, the patient was told the finger had to be amputated because there was limited or no improvement.

In the complaint, Cieloha alleges that the physician and The Center “was negligent” because the collagen injection is known to weaken ligaments and contributed to the patient’s ultimately losing the finger.