St. Joseph Medical Center Stent Surgery Lawyers
If you or family member received a letter from St. Joseph Hospital about potential problems with your stent placement, you have important legal rights. >>SUBMIT A CASE
The lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. are investigating potential lawsuits and legal claims for individuals who received a heart stent at St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson, Maryland that may not have been necessary.
Cardiac Stent Attorneys
Starting in early December 2009, a number of former St. Joseph hospital patients, and specifically patients of Dr. Mark Midei, have received letters about their cardiac catheterization procedure with stent placement.
The letters acknowledge that subsequent clinical reviews of the procedure found different results than are indicated in the original cardiac catheterization report. For these individuals the stent placement may not have been necessary, exposing them to substantial health risks.
To review a potential claim and determine what legal rights you have, request a free consultation and claim evaluation. There are no fees or expenses unless a recovery is obtained.
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PROBLEMS WITH STENT SURGERY AT ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL
IN TOWSON, MARYLAND (BALTIMORE COUNTY)
St. Joseph Medical Center is a 345-bed hospital in Towson, Maryland owned by Catholic Health Initiatives, which is based in Denver, Colorado. The hospital is among the top 100 cardiovascular hospitals in the United States, and the St. Joseph cardiac catheterization center performs approximately 6,500 procedures a year at a cost of about $10,000 each. It turns out that many procedures performed in recent years may not have been necessary, and doctors implanted stents in patients who had “insignificant” blockages that could have been treated without a stent.
Hundreds of heart patients from St. Joseph who received a stent implant by Dr. Mark Midei have been notified that their condition may not have required a stent. It is believed that St. Joseph hospital letters starting being sent via Federal Express overnight delivery in early December 2009 and additional patients may continue to receive letters after this date as the investigation continues.
So far, it appears that all of the patients identified who received a letter were treated by Dr. Mark Midei, a previously prominent surgeon, who has since stopped practicing and lost his privileges at the hospital.
After being told that they had blockages as high as 80% to 95% that required a stent placement, subsequent reviews have found that many patients only had minor blockages, sometimes as low as 10%. Typical guidelines call for a blockage of at least 70% for a stent procedure to be necessary, with blockages of less than 50% generally regarded as insignificant and not posing enough of a problem to justify the risks associated with stent surgery.
RISKS OF UNNECESSARY STENT PLACEMENT AT ST. JOSEPH’S WITH DR. MIDEI
Although millions of Americans receive a heart stent each year, the procedure is not without risks and could have a long-term effect on the health and life of recipients.
An unnecessary stent procedure at St. Joseph hospital not only results in medical bills and a violation of the patient trust, it could also result in severe physical and psychological injuries, including potentially life-threatening complications of a stent placement.
Studies suggest that the risk of major stent complications could be as high as 5.7%, with a death rate of 2.3%. During the actual procedure, there is a risk of heart attack, stroke or coronary artery damage, which may result in the need for emergency bypass surgery.
Once the stent is implanted, patients face long-term risks associated with a stent, including the risk of a blood clot forming within the stent, which may result in a heart attack or other life-threatening injury at a later date.
To reduce the risk of a blood clot from a stent procedure, individuals are often prescribed a blood thinner like Plavix (clopidogrel). This medication is expensive and carries many additional risks associated with side effects of Plavix. In many cases it is necessary for stent patients to use Plavix for more than a year, and potentially indefinitely.
Individuals who were told that they had significant blockages, also likely suffered psychological damages as a result of the incorrect belief that they had severe heart disease.
LAWYERS FOR ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL STENT PATIENTS
If you, a friend or family member received a letter about a stent implant by Dr. Mark Midei at St. Joseph Medical Center you have important legal rights. It is important to protect yourself and your family by requesting a free and confidential consultation with a lawyer.
The attorneys at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. represent individuals on a contingency fee basis, which means that there are no fees or expenses unless a recovery is obtained. In addition, requesting a free consultation to review your legal rights does not mean that you have to pursue a claim. After having your case reviewed by a lawyer, it will be your decision whether to hire one of our attorneys to pursue a potential case.
