More allegations of botched procedures arise at Fresno plastic surgery center
.jpg "Athenix Body Sculpting near Herndon and Maple avenues in North Fresno is shown.")
A former plastic surgeon with Athenix Body Sculpting Institute in Fresno is facing possible suspension of his medical license over allegations he botched a liposuction surgery.
Dr. Parviz Goshtasby, of Newport Beach, has been accused by William Prasifka, executive director of the Medical Board of California of several charges. Those include gross negligence, repeated negligent acts and incompetence.
The board previously took disciplinary action against another Athenix plastic surgeon, Dr. Kevin Ciresi. He was accused of driving drunk, incompetence and disobeying the board’s orders.
Ciresi, who has also been sued for alleged malpractice by several former patients, is on probation until June 2026 — but he’s still allowed to practice under specific conditions set by the board.
Athenix officials said in a statement to The Bee that each doctor who practices within their center must undergo a rigorous vetting process that includes an extensive background check.
“Additionally, all surgeons at our facility are required to undergo a proctoring process for the purpose of directly observing and evaluating clinical competency and ability to practice in a safe manner. If a physician fails to meet these standards, then appropriate action is taken accordingly,” the statement said.
Athenix also said while Dr. Goshtasby worked as a independent contractor for a brief period of time in 2018, the company later let him go.
“... we terminated our association with Dr. Goshtasby based on failure to perform surgical procedures in accordance with our standards and patient safety regulations,” according to a statement issued by Athenix.
In Ciresi’s case, the company allowed him to continue to operate, despite his multiple malpractice lawsuits and the disciplinary action taken against him by the medical board.
“Based on the facts of the case, the Medical Board did not find that Dr. Ciresi posed a risk to consumers and made the decision to allow him to continue practicing medicine,” the company said in a statement. “Should a physician not meet any of our strict safety and quality standards, necessary action is taken accordingly, as was the case with Dr. Goshtasby.”
Athenix operates plastic surgery centers in Fresno, Los Angeles, Bellevue, Wash. and Beaverton, Ore.
The company says it has served more than 50,000 satisfied patients.
“We strictly uphold the guidelines and protocols recommended by the medical board at all times. Under no circumstances do we tolerate negligence or incompetence in our practice. As one of the largest and most trusted aesthetic surgery centers on the west coast, patient safety and satisfaction are our highest priorities,” the statement said.
‘Dead tissue and scarring’
The accusations against Goshtasby stem from a liposuction surgery the doctor performed on a 51-year-old Fresno woman on July 27, 2018.
The medical board’s investigation found that the plastic surgery center at 7015 N. Maple Ave. did not do an adequate pre-operation report on the patient. It failed to indicate any medical history, the physical exam was general in nature and the documented pulmonary exam was illegible, according to the board’s complaint.
During the surgery, Goshtasby removed 6500 cc’s — or about 14.3 pounds — of fat. That amount should have required the procedure be done in a hospital, according to the complaint.
The patient’s recovery was also problematic. Goshtasby was no longer doing surgeries for Athenix and the patient’s follow-up care was placed in the hands of other doctors, including Ciresi.
She complained of bruising, soreness and swelling in her abdomen. Several weeks later, her condition did not improve, and another of the center’s surgeons inserted a drainage tube inside the wound.
Over the course of the next eight months the patient suffered from tightness, pain, and blistering. Each time, the doctor noted her condition was improving, according to the medical board. .
The medical board’s investigation determined that Goshtasby’s lack of knowledge and failure to properly perform the liposuction procedure lead to skin necrosis (dead, infected tissue) in the upper part of her abdomen and left flank. Also, she developed a hematoma, scarring and a contour in her skin.
“Respondent (Goshtasby) committed gross negligence in his care and treatment of Patient A,” the complaint states.
Goshtasby is also accused of using false and misleading advertising by promoting he was “triple-board certified” on his profile for Athenix and Newport Plastic Surgery, where he also currently practices.
Medical board spokesman Carlos Villatoro said Dr. Goshtasby has filed his intention to dispute the allegations against him, triggering an administrative hearing. At the hearing, the Attorney General’s Office and the doctor with his attorney will present their case. That hearing has not been scheduled, Villatoro said.
If the accusations against Goshtasby are found to be true at the administrative hearing, the medical board can take one of several actions. That could include suspending or revoking his medical certificate, placing him on probation or revoking or suspending his ability to supervise physician assistants and advance training nurses.
The attorney representing Goshtasby in this case could not be reached for comment.
But lawyer, Dennis Thelen, who represents Goshtasby in a malpractice lawsuit, said it is not uncommon for a former patient to sue their doctor because they don’t like their results. Oftentimes, a complication is part of the accepted risk in undergoing surgery, he said.
This story was originally published December 30, 2020 at 11:05 AM.
