Thursday, July 2, 2009 | 7:01 p.m.
Sun coverage
CARSON CITY – The state Health Division has ordered the office of a Las Vegas physician to stop performing unlicensed surgery, including at least one breast implant.
The cease and desist letter was delivered to the Skin + Body Institute operated by Dr. Sean Su accusing it of operating as an unlicensed ambulatory surgery center.
Dr. Su could not be reached for comment.
The division said a breast augmentation surgery was performed by Su on April 16 and the woman returned to the physician on June 3 to take care of problems. An implant was reinserted but the woman was admitted to a hospital on June 15 with an infection in the area of the surgery.
A complaint was filed with the state Board of Medical Examiners, which is conducting its own investigation.
Investigators with the state Bureau of Health Care Quality and Compliance inspected the institute at 2451 Professional Court, Suite 110, and said they found it was stocked with expired and unlabeled medications. They said there were severe breakdowns in infection control practices, including sterile supply breaches.
There was also a lack of documentation on the use, operation and maintenance of sterilization equipment, the bureau said.
Division Administrator Richard Whitley said, “While we expect doctors to follow law, it’s clear that there are those who operate in bad faith and don’t follow the laws of the state of Nevada.”
He said it is illegal to perform surgery in a facility not licensed by the state and this law is aimed at protecting the public from such problems as this one.
The division has turned over its documentation to the state Board of Pharmacy for review and the state Attorney General’s Office for legal action.
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