Doctor Convinces Patients to Undergo Dangerous and Unnecessary Surgeries

An Ohio spine surgeon faces federal charges of health-care fraud and making false statements, in addition to numerous medical malpractice claims, because he allegedly convinced patients to have surgical procedures that they did not need. Dr. Abubakar Atiq Durrani is accused of telling some of his patients that without spinal surgery “they risked paralysis or that their heads would fall off if they got into car accidents.” There is even some doubt as to whether or not Mr. Durrani attended medical school. To date, about 60 lawsuits have been filed against him.

Unfortunately, Dr. Durrani is not the only medical professional who has convinced patients to undergo unnecessary surgeries. Americans undergo tens of thousands of unnecessary surgeries every year. Some of these surgeries are part of large-scale health care fraud schemes carried out by greedy doctors, while others result from a lack of competence.

The dangers associated with surgery

spine injuryAll surgeries carry risks. Putting a patient in harm’s way purposely violates Tennessee and federal law, as well as the Hippocratic Oath. An unnecessary surgery can cause an infection, a heart attack, a stroke, paralysis or even death. Mr. Durrani’s gross negligence could have cost patients their lives, and it is only sheer luck (or a miracle, if you prefer) that no one died at his hands.

Unnecessary surgeries expose patients to the risks inherent in surgical procedures while providing them with no benefits that they could not have attained by other, nonsurgical means and in some cases severely injuring or even killing them. If your life has been affected by an unnecessary surgery that was performed on you or on someone that you love, the experienced Tennessee medical malpractice attorneys at Bailey & Greer, PLLC, can help you to hold the surgeon who performed the procedure accountable for their actions and pursue the compensation that you deserve. Please call 901-680-9777 to schedule a time to discuss your case with us.