A Texas woman permanently injured during two operations five years ago settled a medical malpractice lawsuit for $8.4 million last week. Arlisa Cooper, 35, was admitted to Columbia Woman's Hospital of Houston in January 1998 to deliver her baby. During the birth, Dr. Earl Lombard caused a massive fourth degree tear while performing an episiotomy, a surgical enlargement of the vulval orifice. When the physician attempted to repair the injury, Cooper was left with a rectovaginal fistula, an opening from the bottom of the tear to the rectum.

On March 13, 1998, Dr. Dandrea Brooks performed an operation to repair the tear but severed Cooper's rectal sphincter muscle. As a result, Cooper is incontinent and can no longer have children or perform sexual intercourse. Cooper and her family sued the hospital, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, Caremark Inc., which owned the clinic until 2001, and the two physicians.