Roberto Bonilla, MD, had been accused of negligence and incompetence in connection with the death of a patient on whom he performed gallbladder surgery in 2008, according to the report. He was accused of performing major surgery in his office without necessary equipment or staff, then administering an anesthetic and failing to summon paramedics.
Dr. Bonilla was allowed to continue practicing medicine after completing a training course, though the medical board restricted his license following the incident.
Dr. Bonilla was found guilty in connection with his patient’s death in February after he admitted to using only lidocaine, a local anesthetic that experts testified was unusual. The surgery is commonly performed with general anesthesia in a hospital setting. While Dr. Bonilla was assisted by three medical assistants, no anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist was present.
Read the LA Times report on Dr. Bonilla.
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