Indian-origin doc in US fined for removing cyst instead of kidney

New York, Aug 9

An Indian-origin urologist in the US state of Florida has been fined $7,236 and ordered to take a medical education course in risk management after he removed a cyst instead of a kidney during a surgery in 2021.

Zamip Patel, who was supposed to remove a patient's right kidney on June 16, 2021, ended up removing "a significant mass, which was sent to pathology”, the Miami Herald reported.

The pathology report, which came two days later, said Patel removed a “hemorrhagic and inflamed cyst, not the intended kidney”, a complaint filed with Florida Department of Health said.

The patient, who was not told about the blunder, showed up at Advent Health Orlando after two months complaining of pain.

A CT scan revealed he still had the right kidney, the complaint said.

Patel did not respond to an email sent to the address on his online Department of Health profile and declined to comment when a Miami Herald reporter called his office, shortly after the complaint was filed.

In addition to the $5,000 fine and $2,236 reimbursement of Florida Department of Health investigation and prosecution costs, Patel has been ordered to take a five-hour continuing medical education course in risk management.

He has also been asked by the state health department to give a one-hour speech at a medical facility on wrong-site surgeries, the Herald reported.

However, according to the Miami Herald, the punitive action didn’t address why the patient was not informed about the blunder for two months.

Patel has been board certified with the American Board of Urology since 2013 and licensed in Florida since February 25, 2011.

His Florida Department of Health profile says this is the first disciplinary action against his license.

In June 2022, another Indian-origin urologist from Florida was accused of incorrectly performing the vasectomy procedure on his 51-year-old patient.

According to a complaint by the Florida Department of Health, 72-year-old Dilipkumar Patel performed the procedure on the right side of the patient instead of the left side.