Becker's reported on three gastroenterologists or GI surgeons who faced lawsuits in one week.
Here's the three lawsuits:
1. The family of a patient who survived colon cancer surgery in 2021 but died eight days after a follow-up procedure in 2022 is suing the surgeon and Bridgeport, Conn.-based St. Vincent's Medical Center, among other entities, alleging medical negligence caused her death.
The lawsuit, filed Nov. 6, names St. Vincent's Medical Center, St. Vincent's MultiSpecialty Group, Hartford HealthCare Medical Group, Hartford HealthCare Medical Group Specialists and Daniel Lavy, MD, the colorectal and general surgeon who performed a series of surgeries on Luzina Galberth. Ms. Galberth died July 29, 2022.
2. Nitesh Ratnakar, MD, a gastroenterologist in Wheeling, W.Va., has been found guilty of failing to pay nearly $2.5 million in payroll taxes. A federal jury in Clarksburg, W. Va., found him guilty of 41 counts of tax fraud. Dr. Ratnakar was first indicted in February.
Dr. Ratnaker previously operated a gastroenterology practice and a medical equipment manufacturer in Elkins, W. Va. He faces up to five years in prison for each of the first 38 tax fraud counts and two years for the other three counts, totaling a possible 204 years.
3. Cincinnati-based gastroenterologist David Wenzke, MD, an employee at Columbus, Ohio-based Gastro Health, has been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation by the State Medical Board of Ohio for alleged sexual misconduct. Dr. Wenzke faces misconduct allegations from three separate patients.