A spine surgeon who previously practiced in Ohio has been ordered to pay nearly $13 million to two women on whom he allegedly performed unnecessary procedures.
A jury verdict ordered Atiq Durrani, MD, to pay $5.9 million to Dawn Brown and $6.8 million to Tara Brown, according to court documents filed Feb. 8 in Ohio's Southern District Court. Both women filed lawsuits against Dr. Durrani in November 2018.
Dr. Durrani allegedly used the PureGen biologic in Dawn Brown's spine surgery without her consent. The unnecessary treatment led to an alleged 3.5 percent increase in Ms. Brown's chance of developing cancer.
Tara Brown's lawsuit alleges Dr. Durrani intentionally misinterpreted a CT scan and convinced her to have a C1-C2 spinal fusion. He performed the procedure despite her comorbid conditions and implanted Medtronic's Infuse Bone Graft off-label without informed consent. The procedure caused Ms. Brown to suffer from a decreased range of motion, an inability to turn her head and an increased risk of cancer from the implant.
Dr. Durrani fled to Pakistan in 2013 after he was charged with performing unnecessary surgery on more than 500 patients. He previously practiced at UC Health in Cincinnati and its affiliate West Chester Hospital.