An 80-year-old Milford woman died in March 2025 after developing serious medical complications following a feeding-tube procedure at Bridgeport Hospital’s Milford Campus, according to a lawsuit filed by her family.
The lawsuit alleges that a feeding tube inserted during Irene S. Perretta’s treatment on May 28 and 29, 2024, went into her airway instead of passing through her esophagus and into her digestive tract. According to the complaint, the tube entered the area surrounding her lung and caused a pneumothorax, or collapsed lung, as well as fluid buildup that required a chest tube.
Perretta’s family claims the injury was followed by additional complications, including sepsis, empyema and aspiration pneumonia. They allege that the complications contributed to a decline in her condition and ultimately to her death.
The family is suing Bridgeport Hospital and Yale New Haven Health Services Corporation, alleging medical negligence. The lawsuit argues that hospital staff failed to properly confirm the feeding tube’s position before it was used and did not adequately monitor Perretta after the procedure.
A physician who reviewed the case for the family also questioned whether the expected confirmation process had been followed. The physician’s opinion, included with the lawsuit, states that imaging should have been used to confirm that the tube had reached the proper position below the diaphragm before it was used for feeding, medication or flushing.
The family further alleges that Perretta’s condition became significantly worse after the tube was misplaced and that she required additional invasive treatment.
The hospital has not admitted wrongdoing. Bridgeport Hospital expressed condolences to Perretta’s family and said that, because the matter is being litigated, it would address the allegations through the legal process. The health system has also asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing that the lawsuit does not satisfy certain procedural requirements under Connecticut law.
The defense has also challenged the medical opinion submitted with the complaint, arguing that it does not provide enough factual detail to explain how hospital staff allegedly departed from the required standard of care. No finding of medical negligence has been made against the hospital in connection with the allegations.
Perretta died on March 10, 2025. Her obituary described her as a resilient woman who had survived breast cancer and colon cancer and continued to face difficult challenges with determination.
Born in Bridgeport in 1945, Perretta graduated from Central High School in 1962. She worked in several fields during her life, including at Travelers Insurance, medical offices and Elizabeth Arden, where she spent 17 years before retiring.
She was also involved in her community, volunteering with organizations and later helping with activities at St. Barbara’s Church. Her family remembered her as someone whose smile made people feel welcome and whose strength remained a defining part of her life.
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages and other relief. The case remains a legal dispute, and the allegations against the hospital and its staff have not been proven in court.
