Placental Pathology Expert Witness

Placental pathology is an emerging field of medicine in which physicians and researchers study a newborn baby’s placenta. They analyze and evaluate it in order to try and figure out the potential diseases and conditions the baby may suffer from. This is a new form of diagnostic medicine and study that is not yet widely accepted.

Plastic Surgeon Expert Witness

Plastic surgery is a field of medicine that emphasizes correction and restoration through surgery. It is common that plastic surgeons treat patients for aesthetic and cosmetic reasons; however, plastic surgeons are also responsible for performing reconstructive surgery and treating burns. Incidentally, these surgeries are not actually connected with the physical material “plastic.”

Plastic Surgery Expert Witness

Plastic surgery is a field of medicine that emphasizes correction and restoration through surgery. It is common that plastic surgeons treat patients for aesthetic and cosmetic reasons; however, plastic surgeons are also responsible for performing reconstructive surgery and treating burns. Incidentally, these surgeries are not actually connected with the physical material “plastic.”

Breast Implant Surgery – Medical Malpractice? Breast surgery that utilizes breast implants is very common and includes surgery for both cosmetic and reconstructive diagnoses. As in all procedures, informed consent is a very important component in preparing the patient for surgery. Lack of sufficient informed consent before a procedure that uses breast implants can reach the level of malpractice. A patient consulted with her Plastic Surgeon about having a breast augmentation. As a 4′ 11″ person who weighed 96 lbs., she told the doctor that she currently wore a 32 A bra and wanted to be augmented so she could wear a 36 D bra. She was very concerned about the possibility of implant rupture; she did not want to face the extra expense this would cost her. Her doctor assured her that he could surgically place implants that would give her the size she wanted and told her that, although he had never seen a patient with ruptured implants, if the implants did rupture, her insurance company would cover those costs. She had the surgery performed but was very unhappy because her bra size was only 34B, much smaller than her desired size. Also, 5 years later one of the implants ruptured, requiring removal and replacement. Her insurance company did not cover the costs of that surgery and she had to pay for this surgery out of pocket. The issues in this hypothetical case revolve around lack of informed consent: A patient should be informed regarding what the surgery can achieve and the possible risks and complications. In this case, the Plastic Surgeon informed a very petite patient that he could place implants to give her the size she requested. No plastic surgeon can guarantee an ultimate bra size in a breast augmentation, especially in a petite patient; the skin and soft tissue under which the implant is placed have a limit on how far they can stretch and therefore how big an implant can be placed. A reasonably well trained plastic surgeon would inform any patient about this. All breast implants can rupture, requiring further surgery, and a patient must be informed of this possibility prior to surgery. A reasonably well trained plastic surgeon would know about this and inform his patient about this. Telling a patient that her insurance company will cover surgical expenses and giving her the wrong breast size is not quite malpractice, but it reaches the level of malpractice. Not giving an honest and informed consent and giving patient unrealistic expectations, and depending on the circumstances and what or was not said, not only can be unethical but potentially below the standard of care and medical malpractice. The Plastic Surgeon who prepared this article is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who has been in private practice for over 25 years and has both a cosmetic and reconstructive surgical practice. This Plastic Surgeon graduated from the University of Notre Dame, earning membership in the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa society. After graduating from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and being asked to join the Alpha Omega Alpha honorary society. This expert completed a plastic surgery residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, as well as went on to complete a fellowship in pediatric plastic surgery at Children’s Memorial Hospital, also in Chicago. This Plastic Surgeon specializes in breast reconstruction after mastectomy, breast augmentation and reduction, treatment for traumatic injuries, eyelid surgery, wound care, skin grafting and burn treatment, skin cancer biopsies and repair, abdominoplasty, rhinoplasty, facelift, non-invasive skin care, and liposuction.

Plastic Surgery/Reconstructive Surgery Expert Witness

Plastic and reconstructive surgeries are two surgical specialties; surgeons in these fields typically operate on the face and body of patients in order to optimize the appearance and functioning of the desired area. Reconstructive surgeons perform work that restores the appearance of a patient after a burn, trauma, or injury; plastic surgeons operate on healthy patients.

Podiatrist Expert Witness

In medicine, podiatry is the field that focuses on healing foot, ankle, and lower leg problems. A podiatric physician or surgeon is trained to diagnose and treat ailments of these and other leg structures. Podiatrists are also often involved in sports medicine, geriatrics, pediatrics, and orthopedics.

Pollens Expert Witness

Pollen Is a plant-made substance that contains the male sex cells necessary to create more plants. Even though it is very useful for plant reproduction, it can be highly irritating to humans because it is an allergen. A very severe allergy to pollen is known as hay fever; physicians can use medications to treat these patients.

Podiatry Expert Witness

In medicine, podiatry is the field that focuses on healing foot, ankle, and lower leg problems. A podiatric physician or surgeon is trained to diagnose and treat ailments of these and other leg structures. Podiatrists are also often involved in sports medicine, geriatrics, pediatrics, and orthopedics.

Podiatry Surgery Expert Witness

Podiatry surgeons operate on the patient’s foot or ankle in order to improve or restore its functioning and appearance. The most common podiatry surgeries are those that eliminate ingrown toenails, bunions, or corns; however, more advanced surgeries such as transplantations or skin grafting can also be performed by qualified and experienced surgeons.

Policy & Procedures Expert Witness

A hospital policy and procedures specialist is typically an administrator who is tasked with ensuring the smooth operation of the hospital. He or she monitors the safety, efficacy, and financial stability of all of the hospital’s personnel and procedures.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Expert Witness

Post traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, is a condition characterized by excessive anxiety. It is typically brought on by a severely traumatic event, such as exposure to war. Commonly, former soldiers have PTSD so they suffer emotional flashbacks or nightmares.