A Melbourne surgeon has been sued for negligence by a patient who claimed he failed to inform her about his “experimental” jaw device during surgery.
Dr. George Dimitroulis is facing a lawsuit from a former patient who claims he did not fully disclose the risks associated with her jaw surgery in 2018 and also failed to disclose that the device, called the OMX prosthesis, was an experimental device.
The patient claimed that Dr. Dimitroulis used a classification system he developed to diagnose her condition as severe enough to require surgery. She claimed that this system was not commonly used by other surgeons and that less invasive treatments were available.
The unidentified patient also claimed that the surgery resulted in chronic pain and inability to work. The Guardian reported.
In his defense statement filed on July 16, Dr. Dimitroulis denied the allegations and said he followed accepted medical procedures and discussed known risks with the patient.
“At all relevant times he acted in a manner recognised by a significant number of respected practitioners in Australia as competent professional practice,” his lawyer’s statement said.
An amended complaint filed on June 21 by the law firm Slater & Gordon on behalf of the patient says Dr. Dimitroulis wrote a research paper proposing a new classification system for diagnosing TMJ disorders to determine which patients require surgery.
The article appeared in International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in 2013.
The lawsuit alleged that the doctor used his classification system to diagnose the patient and suggested surgery as the only available option.
The patient claimed that Dr. Dimitroulis did not inform her that the surgery might not be successful or might worsen the condition of her jaw.
The claims were rejected by the doctor’s defense team.
On his website, Dr. Dimitroulis is described as a “world-renowned surgeon and author” who “has been invited as a guest and keynote speaker by various national and international organizations on five continents to present topics ranging from TMJ surgery to surgical research.”
It states that he is “the inventor of nearly a dozen groundbreaking craniocilliofacial medical devices, including TMJ Arthrojaw and Osseoframe.”
The Independent asked Dr. Dimitroulis for a comment.
Accordingly Medical news today“Surgery for TMJ disorders can relieve pain and improve jaw function,” but “doctors use this treatment only as a last resort because research on its safety and effectiveness is lacking.”
