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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2009
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VA Doc Botched 92 of 116 Cancer Operations

Philly prostate patients routinely had treatment placed in wrong organ

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(Newser) – The VA Hospital in Philadelphia performed 116 operations to treat prostate cancer before an investigation found that 92 of the them had been seriously botched, the New York Times reports. The VA considered Dr. Gary Kao an expert who didn't need oversight, and allowed him to cover up his mistakes without consequences.

When Kao accidentally implanted 40 radioactive "seeds" into a patient's bladder instead of his prostate, he re-wrote his surgical plan to conform to the flawed procedure. When that same patient then needed more radiation, another mistake led to dangerous radiation in his rectum. Now, investigators are scrambling to figure out why no one noticed the sub-par work long ago.

Investigators say that Dr. Gary Kao botched 92 of 116 cancer treatments over a course of six years.
Investigators say that Dr. Gary Kao botched 92 of 116 cancer treatments over a course of six years.   (Shutterstock)
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9 comments
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Doctor_Zaius
Jun 21, 09 3:34 PM CDT
85% of all malpractice occurs from 15% of the doctors. Instead of tort reform how about Doctor reform? Reply
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+4
IN RESPONSE:
anchower
Jun 21, 09 9:06 PM CDT
Hear, hear.
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0
Reader64481089
Jun 21, 09 3:51 PM CDT
Oh yea, get rid of a patients right for damages, allow them no recourse and allow the medical community to police it's own, look at the wonderful job they are doing here....92 out of 116, were perhaps they waiting for him to round to the nearest 100 ??? Reply
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+6
IN RESPONSE:
Doctor_Zaius
Jun 21, 09 6:25 PM CDT
But what about the 24 operations he didn't fuck up?
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0
IN RESPONSE:
anchower
Jun 21, 09 9:07 PM CDT
You said it, Reader64481089.
Vote up! Vote down!
-1

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