A plastic surgeon and 12 other doctors, including residents and former residents, were indicted by the Civil Police of Rio Grande do Sul after 87 victims were reported – 84 women and three men – for errors in surgeries. The information was released at a police press conference this Wednesday morning (11).
Among the crimes committed were criminal association, embezzlement, serious and very serious bodily injury, negligent bodily injury due to malpractice and concussion, since for patients covered by certain health plans, he charged extra amounts.
According to the investigation, which lasted around six months, Leandro Fuchs – name not confirmed by the Civil Police, but verified by CNN -, he captured patients through social media groups, stating that he performed surgeries with “better results” and gave “gifts” to patients.
However, after the surgery was contracted, the doctor was absent from the room at the time of the procedure. According to the police, at times, Fuchs even left the Ernesto Dornelles Hospital, where the surgeries were taking place.
The investigation argues that he left hospital residents to operate alone while he handled private matters. This transfer of surgeries to non-specialist doctors was not known to the patients, who had directly contracted the doctor’s services.
Details of the complaints
Between the years 2018 and 2023, a significant number of people would have contacted the civil police reporting situations that could constitute criminal practices in the practice of medicine.
Of 727 surgeries, 481 required new interventions, which represents more than 66% of corrections and complications in procedures performed by the doctor.
Among these complaints are cases of patients who suffered mutilations, necrosis and serious infections. To date, 140 people have been interviewed in the investigation.
After the unwanted result, many victims tried to return to the social media groups in which they learned about the work of the person being investigated to criticize him and warn new patients. All negative comments were deleted from the groups and users were blocked.
For the victims, there was also negligence in post-operative treatment on the part of the doctor hired.
Furthermore, according to the police, the doctor acted presumptuously towards the patients, advising them not to report the bad results, as the surgeon would have “many contacts” and the victims would not be successful.
Surgeon works in clinic
Leandro Fuchs, who is a doctor specializing in plastic surgery and has worked at Ernesto Dornelles Hospital since his medical residency, is manager and director of the Plastic Surgery area at the institution and also head of the medical residency program in Plastic Surgery.
The Civil Police requested the suspension of the doctor’s right to practice his profession, but the Court decided that he could continue working in the clinic, without performing surgeries.
Furthermore, he was also banned from leaving Porto Alegre and had his passport confiscated. Conversations on social networks were extracted from Fuchs’ cell phone.
THE CNN contacted Leandro Fuchs’ defense, the Ernesto Dornelles Hospital and the Regional Council of Medicine of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (CREMERS) and is awaiting a response.
This content was originally published in Plastic Surgeon and 12 more doctors are indicted after 87 complaints in RS on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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