New York Doctor Accused Of Performing Fake Surgeries
Dr. Spyros Panos is the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation, and is also facing at least 250 lawsuits alleging he performed fraudulent surgeries in New York and committed other acts of malpractice. ABC News reports that Dr. Spanos, who was previously employed as a surgeon with the Mid Hudson Medical Group, is still licensed to practice medicine in New York State but was terminated in 2011 in light of recent litigation against the doctor, who has been labeled “The Hudson Valley Hack.”
NY medical negligence attorneys representing some of the plaintiffs who are suing the doctor say that Panos “used his patients like human cash registers, scheduling as many as 22 surgeries a day. The average orthopedic surgeon typically schedules no more than 32 procedures a month, according to American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons statistics.”
Shocking report of fraudulent surgeries in New York
Take the case of Constance Nenni, who went to Dr. Spanos for knee surgery in March of 2010 and died just 24 hours later of fatal complications from a pulmonary embolism. The simple “in and out” procedure took place at Hudson Valley Center at Saint Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie, New York. According to post-operative notes written by Dr. Spanos, he had removed torn cartilage during the operation in an effort to smooth areas of arthritic wear, and removed soft tissue from within the knee joint. However, post-mortem hospital records revealed Panos had never performed any of these procedures, and in fact, had simply put Nenni under anesthesia, placed a scope in her knee and then closed her back up.
Even more disturbing is that Nenni’s fake surgery seems to be just one of many, as more than 200 legal actions are currently pending against Dr. Spanos. The hospitals where Dr. Spanos performed the phantom surgeries are also listed as defendants on many of the complaints. These include the Mid Hudson Medical Group, Saint Francis Hospital and Vassar Medical center, all located in Poughkeepsie.
Nenni’s daughter Debra McNamee is now suing Panos for her mother’s wrongful death and says she received bills for her mother’s care totaling more than $50,000. The plaintiff also got a bill from Mid Hudson for her mother’s post-operative follow up, even though her mother had passed away two years prior. “We lost her because someone was looking to make money on her,” McNamee said. “He took an oath to care for people not to kill people and cover it up.”
As of July 2012, despite mounting litigation involving claims of fraudulent surgeries in New York, Dr. Spanos was actively blogging on Facebook and using Twitter, and in one recent post was stressing the importance of good pre-operative care for optimum patient outcomes.
NY medical negligence attorneys
If you or someone you care about has suffered injuries stemming from medical malpractice in New York, including the boroughs of Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island, the Bronx and Long Island, The Sanders Firm has the experience and resources to help you recover maximum damages in a court of law. Call us today for your complimentary consultation. We’ll evaluate your case and explain all options for pursuing legal recourse. Call our offices today, toll-free at 1.800 FAIR PLAY (800.324.7752). Resources
- ABC News, Surgeon Accused of Fake Surgeries, http://abcnews.go.com/Health/surgeon-faces-multiple-suits-claiming-performed-fake-surgeries/story?id=19695028
