Cardiac catherization is the process by which a medical device is threaded into a patient's arteries for the purpose of locating and exploring arterial blockages. The extent to which an artery is blocked will be expressed as a percentage. Those blockages detected through cardiac catherization that are 70 percent or greater usually require the implantation of a coronary stent. A stent is a type of wire-mesh tube that is placed in the patient's arteries to essentially “prop open” the arteries. These stents are designed to expand and push against the inner wall of the coronary wall once implanted, which helps to support the blood vessel and improve blood flow. Arterial blockages of 70 percent or more are typically classified as severe coronary blockages and require the patient to undergo heart surgery to implant the necessary coronary stents. This procedure is usually carried out in the cardiac catheterization unit of a hospital.

Recently, a federal investigation into possible Medicare fraud uncovered information that indicates Dr. Mark G. Midei, the head of the cardiac catherization unit at St. Joseph's hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, subjected a large number of his patients to unnecessary heart surgery. Employed by St. Joseph's hospital in Baltimore since January 2008, Dr. Mark G. Midei is believed to have implanted coronary stents in patients with coronary blockages as minimal as 10 percent. Dr. Mark G. Midei informed his patients that the procedure was necessary for the sake of their health; therefore, patients consented to an expensive, needless, invasive procedure. Dr. Midei's actions should be considered medical malpractice, and any of his patients that believe their stent implantation may have been unnecessary may contact the Law Offices of Robinson & Associates for legal assistance.

Dr. Midei with St. Joseph's hospital in Baltimore, Maryland is not the only doctor or hospital under suspicion for conducting unnecessary heart surgery / cardiac stint placement. The aforementioned Federal investigation into Medicare fraud also revealed that a number of interventional cardiologists at other Baltimore area hospitals may have performed above average numbers of cardiac stent procedures as well. While Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Maryland was found to have placed approximately 1,100 stents per year, which is in line with the state average, no hospital in the Baltimore area can elude suspicion at this point in time. Even though Sinai Hospital has not been named among the three hospitals with suspiciously high numbers of heart stent procedures, patients that have received heart stents at Sinai Hospital or other Baltimore hospitals may want to consult with a medical malpractice attorney at Robinson and Associates.

Cardiac stents implanted at St. Joseph's hospital, Sinai hospital, or other Baltimore area hospitals result in serious health risks to the patient. This can be especially true if the stents were unnecessary in the first place. It has been determined that the overuse of stents can lead to heart attacks and even death. Fairly healthy patients whose condition could have been treated with medication are placed at undue risk when subjected to unnecessary medical procedures such as cardiac catherization and subsequent stent implantation. Not only can these needless medical procedures expose patients to avoidable health risks, but they are also very expensive. Cardiac stent implantation can cost up to $10,000 or more per patient. These medical procedures can negatively impact both the patient's health as well as their financial stability. Individuals that believe they have been the victims of fraud and medical malpractice are advised to contact Robinson and Associates for a free case evaluation. The attorneys at Robinson and Associates can help victims ensure the responsible parties are held financially liable for their actions.

In order to pursue the financial recovery to which you may be entitled as a result of this medical malpractice and fraud, retaining the services of a qualified medical malpractice attorney will be imperative. A skilled and qualified medical malpractice attorney can help injured victims recover the maximum amount allowed under the law. Whether the cardiac catherization was performed at St Joseph's hospital, Sinai hospital, or another Baltimore area hospital, it will be in the patient's best interests to ensure their cardiac procedure was necessary.

The medical malpractice team of Robinson and Associates, located in Baltimore, Maryland, is qualified to advance your malpractice case. We have a former medical malpractice defense attorney and a Board Certified Surgeon on staff to review and advance your case. In many cases, victims of fraud will face future medical bills as well mental and emotional anguish. If you have been victim of fraud or medical malpractice, please contact the Law Firm of Robinson and Associates immediately for your free consultation.