Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Woman sues doctor who carved her name on her uterus as a 'friendly gesture'.

Dr Red Alinsod claims the unusal act was simply a 'friendly gesture'Ingrid Paulicivic claims the branding was done for 'no medically necessary purpose or reason'A gynaecologist is being sued for branding his patient's name on to her removed uterus.

Dr Red Alinsod claims the unusual act, using a laser burning tool, was simply a 'friendly gesture' because the female patient was a 'good friend'.

However, Ingrid Paulicivic, a 47-year-old hairdresser from California, was not so impressed.

She alleges the branding was done for 'no medically necessary purpose or reason' and that she somehow suffered burns on her legs while the uterus was being marked, according to her complaint.

Her lawyer Devan Mullins called the branding 'inexcusably bizarre behaviour', adding that the 50-year-old Dr Alinsod was 'fooling around and having fun'.

Dr Alinsod told The Smoking Gun website he wrote Mrs Paulicivic's name on the uterus because he 'did not want to get it confused with others' but admitted it was not standard practice.

The pair were acquaintances, and Dr Alinsod said the name carving was also just a 'gesture of friendship'.

Mr Mullins said Mrs Paulicivic and her husband Joe first learned of the branding during a follow-up visit during which the 47-year-old complained about burns she suffered during the operation.

The couple then asked to see images Dr Alinsod was examining.

The gynaecologist provided the couple with about 50 digital images, Mr Mullins said, including photos showing the doctor writing on the uterus, as well as pictures of him holding the organ after 'Ingrid' was branded on it, one inch high and five inches long.

The 50-year-old said he complied with their request to see the pictures because he had 'nothing to hide'.

Mrs Paulicivic's husband is also named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit which states he was 'permanently injured and damaged' because of the lack of intimacy between the couple as a result of the hysterectomy.

Paulicivic's lawsuit does not specify monetary damages ...

via Doctor sued for carving patient's name on to her removed uterus as a 'friendly gesture' | Mail Online.

Branding humans, or even their removed parts, is not one of the 12 accepted ways people show friendship.  A discount on the bill would have been a nice gesture.

5 comments:

Cheng said...

Rather than an act of friendship, it seems to me that this is a case of a doctor becoming so emotionally detached from a patient and real life, that he has become little more than a butcher. Unfortunately, I suspect this sort of behavior is common place out of sight of the laymen.

Ann said...

Being the field to which your refer, Cheng, I can tell you, it isn't common at all, although sometimes I have been tempted to do an "A"-type followed by a couple "N"-type of incisions, sort of like signing my work. In this way, during post-op the patient can always look at the sutures to remind to him or her, to whom the check is to be sent.

Of course, I'm joking!

The surgeon's behavior was unethical, regardless to whom he was doing it. A surgeon is not to dally, but to work quickly and smoothly as possible with his or her team.

Perhaps there's a little confusion on the surgeon's part with that of a tattoo artist, which then may be indicative of a psychiatric problem.

Cheng said...

Perhaps common was a bit too much, but speaking from personal experience, I think some doctors become so desensitised to the suffering they see, that they forget what's proper and appropriate. Of course, somtimes they are just jerks as well.
I remember being at a party one time, when a med student arrived with a set of male genitals from a cadaver. The only people that thought this was funny where his sycophantic class mates. No doubt this guy has gone onto be a great surgeon. Needless to say, I won't be leaving my body to science.

Ann said...

I must agree. The medical profession has its share of callous and insensitive idiots, but perhaps as other professions who, if only in some tacit or unconscious way, identify themselves with a form elitism, a sort of I-am-better-more-clever-more-knowledgeable-than-thou attitude, which allows them to think they can do just about anything and remain unscathed. We often read about them in the upper echelons in the business world and the world of politics, although you don't need to go too far up the ladder to find the same sort of attitude/behavior among police and military. I believe it's related to some sort notion of "power."

Cheng said...

Absolutely true Ann. It's a good job surgeons aren't issued with uniforms. Some would think themselves demigods.
Oh! hang on. Some are in uniform. Can you imagine complaining about your labelled uterus while being dazzled by your surgeons campaign medals? :)