On May 9, 2018, neurosurgeon Louis Kralick, MD, of Anchorage Neurosurgical Associates, settled a malpractice lawsuit concerning a spine procedure performed in 2013, according to KTVA. Dr. Kralick also made headlines in March for allegedly photographing the genitalia of a patient undergoing spine surgery at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.
Here are five things to know.
1. The medical malpractice suit involved a patient undergoing spinal fusion at Providence Alaska Medical Center in 2013. Dr. Kralick performed the procedure, but fused C4-T1 instead of the intended C3-C7. Despite X-rays showing multilevel posterior decompression and fusion at C4-T1, Dr. Kralick "falsely reported that the X-rays revealed postsurgical instrumented posterior fusion from C3-C7," according to court documents.
2. This surgical error resulted in the patient experiencing consistent pain and numbness. The patient required additional surgeries to remove the misplaced screws.
3. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but came ahead of the jury's $275,000 award in compensatory damages to the plaintiff. The jury also found punitive damages, but the hearing was pending when the case settled.
4. The pending photograph lawsuit, filed in Anchorage Superior Court, claims Dr. Kralick sent photographs of a patient's genitalia to his wife or another third party without valid medical justification. Dr. Kralick sent an apology letter to the patient, but refused to give up his phone's password to the district attorney's office. The lawsuit is still underway.
5. Board-certified Dr. Kralick completed his neurosurgery residency at University of Iowa Hospitals in Iowa City.