New York, June 27, 2008
Ashok Dhir
NRI Dr. Santusht Perera’s license was suspended
from practising for two years in New Jersey and also fined $81,000
fine for removing a portion of the right lung of Richard Flagg,
60, when he should have been operated on a tumour in the left
lung during the September 2000 surgery.
The board said:
- Perera's actions constituted gross negligence.
- The "tragic error" could have been prevented if
Perera had taken "the most basic and minimal of actions
that should be taken in advance of surgery."
- Perera told the patient, Richard Flagg, the right lung tissue,
which was wrongfully removed, contained a life-threatening tumor
even though he knew it did not.
- He altered his records to show he intended to operate on the
right lung even though he was actually supposed to remove the
tumor in the left lung.
After surgery, Flagg woke up and wondered why the right side
of his body hurt though he was told that his left lung was affected
by tumour. Flagg talked to his surgeon, Perera who lied that an
even larger tumour had been detected in his right lung.
A pathology report found no cancer in any of the
lung tissue removed. He has been fined $30,000 in penalties and
$51,273.10 in reimbursement of costs
A spokesman for the Attorney General's Office, said no other
complaints were pending against the doctor. Perera can appeal
for an early restoration of his medical license after six months.
