Surgeon Caught Performing Bogus Surgeries

In March of 2010, Constance Nenni thought she was undergoing surgery to repair her left knee from arthritic damage. She was put under anesthesia, cut open, and upon waking up thought the procedure had been completed. Then suddenly, without warning, Nenni collapsed and died.

Nenni suffered a pulmonary embolism, a fatal complication of surgery that involves a blood clot coming loose and blocking the main artery from taking blood away from the lung. Upon completion of an autopsy, the medical examiner reported that Nenni had never undergone any procedure by Dr. Spyros Panos, her orthopedic surgeon.

Unfortunately, Nenni’s case is one of at least 250 of Panos’s cases that have had legal actions filed against them in the state Supreme Court of Dutchess County, NY. The pending cases can be broken down into several categories: unnecessary or excessive procedures, medical negligence, and fraudulent surgeries. Though no criminal offense charges have been brought against him, Panos is also involved in a criminal investigation set forth by the United States Attorney’s office.