The reality star filed a lawsuit in 2025 alleging that a catheter was left in her body for years after a procedure at Cedars-Sinai Hospital
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NEED TO KNOW
- Abby Lee Miller dropped her legal claims against two doctors she accused of medical malpractice in a 2025 lawsuit, according to a statement obtained by PEOPLE
- In the suit, Miller claims a catheter was left behind in her body following a 2020 spinal procedure
- In the statement, the Dance Moms alum issued an apology, and acknowledged that her claims against the two doctors were “made without factual bases”
Abby Lee Miller dropped her legal claims against two doctors she accused of medical malpractice in a 2025 lawsuit.
The former Dance Moms star, 60, announced the dismissal of Hooman Melamed and Paul Dwan as defendants in the suit in a statement shared with PEOPLE on Monday, Aug. 24.
In the statement, Miller “expressly acknowledged” that Melamed and Dwan were not at fault in the incident that she claims left her with a catheter inside her body following a 2020 procedure at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.
“Dr. Melamed and Dr. Dwan have consistently denied any negligence or fault in connection with Ms. Miller’s care,” the statement reads. “As part of the resolution, Ms. Miller expressly acknowledges that neither Dr. Melamed or Dr. Dwan are at fault for the retained foreign object, and Ms. Miller has agreed to apologize and retract any prior public statements that disparaged Dr. Melamed and Dr. Dwan, or their respective medical care and treatment.”
The statement further notes that Miller’s claims that Dwan or Melamed left a catheter inside her body were “made without factual bases,” and that “any prior statements should no longer be relied upon or repeated.”
Miller also issued an apology to the two doctors in the statement.
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“Ms. Miller apologizes to Dr. Melamed and Dr. Dwan for any distress this lawsuit has caused, as well as the reputational harm and emotional impact caused by Ms. Miller’s false and defamatory statements,” the statement continues.
“Ms. Miller expressly acknowledges that any negative past statements made by or on behalf of her regarding the care and treatment provided by Dr. Melamed or Dr. Dwan are retracted and should not be relied upon or repeated by her or anyone acting on her behalf.”
The suit, filed in 2025, alleged that Miller suffered abdominal pain after what was otherwise a successful and life-saving spinal surgery in 2020, as previously reported by PEOPLE.
In the complaint, Miller claimed that she informed her medical team of the pain she was experiencing, and that her complaints were ignored until a CT scan revealed that a catheter had been left behind in her body.
Following the CT scan, doctors “performed an emergency procedure to remove the item, which was identified as a retained catheter left inside Plaintiff’s body from the prior surgeries,” the complaint alleged.
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The suit, which still appears to be active and lists Cedars-Sinai Marina Hospital as a defendant, seeks $1.4 million, alleging medical negligence, professional negligence and medical battery, among other claims.
“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,” Miller’s attorney, Nadine Lewis, said in a statement to PEOPLE at the time, echoing details from the complaint. “Rather, they systemically dismissed her chronic pain and let her suffer for years.”
A jury trial on the matter is set for July 2027, according to a court docket viewed by PEOPLE.
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