Severity of stroke puts off hearing - News

PRINT THIS Popular

Aug. 02, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Severity of stroke puts off hearing

Officials say Desai unable to participate

By ANNETTE WELLS
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Hepatitis C Investigation

Dr. Dipak Desai
Disciplinary hearing has been rescheduled for Feb. 24 in hepatitis C outbreak

The Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners postponed a disciplinary hearing for the majority owner of two Las Vegas endoscopy centers linked to a hepatitis C outbreak until Feb. 24 because he suffered a "severe" stroke, officials said Friday.

Dr. Dipak Desai's hearing was originally scheduled for Sept. 8.

Most Popular Stories

Traffic accident claims life of longtime, successful lawyer

TRAFFIC STOP: Shooting accounts conflict

One motorcyclist killed, another critically injured in accident

THE FACES OF JOBLESSNESS: Family had to get help for first time

NORM: Buchanan called 'larger than life'

NORM: Marie Osmond, manager battling

Nurseries fence out day laborers

Second person dies after being restrained by police

NORM: Agassi reveals bad vibes with Shields

North Las Vegas motorcyclist killed in collision while racing, police say

The hearing was rescheduled because a review of the Las Vegas gastroenterologist's medical records indicated "he is currently prevented from any meaningful participation in the preparation of responses to a disciplinary complaint,'' according to the medical board.

Tony Clark, the board's executive director, told the Review-Journal earlier this week that Desai suffered the stroke within the past two weeks in California. He was hospitalized at UCLA Medical Center before being brought home, Clark said.

A stroke is a blockage or bleeding of a blood vessel in the brain. Depending on where the stroke occurs in the brain, it could lead to weakness, loss of sensation, difficulty talking or other neurological problems.

The complaints filed against Desai, and one of his partners, Dr. Eladio Carrera, by the medical board claim that they each performed medical procedures on three patients who later tested positive for hepatitis C, a potentially deadly liver disease.

Investigators with the Southern Nevada Health District and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe seven people contracted hepatitis C on July 25 and Sept. 21 because of unsafe injection practices by nurse anesthetists.

The procedures occurred at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada at 700 Shadow Lane.

Health officials believe an eighth person contracted hepatitis C at the facility in 2005.

A ninth person has been linked to the Desert Shadow Endoscopy Center on Burnham Avenue.

The sources for the July 25 and Sept. 21 cases have been identified.

On Tuesday, during a legislative health care hearing, a senior epidemiologist for the health district told lawmakers that the medical care facility was aware the Sept. 21 source had hepatitis C prior to the procedure.

"The hepatitis C test was ordered by the Gastroenterology Center of Nevada a couple of years ago,'' said Brian Labus. "We're still reviewing the charts of the July 25 patient.''

The Gastroenterology Center of Nevada is affiliated with the Shadow Lane facility.

Carrera's disciplinary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 6-8.

Contact reporter Annette Wells at awells@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0283.

Share & Save

Leave Your Comment	17 Reader Comments
Terms & Conditions The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsiblity of the authors. The reviewjournal.com does not review comments before publication nor guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by the comment policy. If you see a comment that violates the policy, please notify the web editor. Some comments may not display immediately due to an automatic filter. These comments will be reviewed within 48 hours. Please do not submit a comment more than once.
Please enter your name Name: Please enter your email Email: Please enter a comment COMMENTS : (word count limit is 300) You have reached the maximum number of words allowed Current Word Count: Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background. Report abuse John R wrote on August 03, 2008 09:30 PM: Skeptical and Cindy, I agree - it is utterly despicable what has happened. I also believe that justice will be served and he will have to deal with its consequences. I just wanted to clear up the rumor that somehow he has "faked" these strokes. I can say, being 100% certain, that he has not faked the stroke, that he was in very critical condition, and that it was a sincere medical emergency. Take it or leave it - but that is the absolute truth. Of course that won't change people's opinions of him or the terrible crimes committed - nor should it. It's just been tough to witness the terrible posts against Indians, his family, whatever. It's ridiculous to me to see that. HE and HE ONLY is responsible for his actions - he does not represent the Indian community. Most Indian doctors are good citizens, work hard to provide for their families, and are good people. Report abuse Cindy wrote on August 03, 2008 09:12 PM: John R, I will ask you, can you say with any degree of certainty that he is not faking? Just a tad to convenient, two strokes before two court proceedings. He is home, the court date was not until the latter part of September, it is ridiculous IMO that this has been postponed until February, a YEAR after this travesty happened. Let me correct myself, it will be a year until it became public knowledge, it has been going on for years. The thought of my mother having a colonoscopy at that horrid place where they did not clean the scopes make me want to vomit. That man and his cohorts are dispicable. Report abuse Skeptical wrote on August 03, 2008 07:29 PM: John R. - Whether you are a friend, family member, or a "partner in crime", I think that when he is found GUILTY, you will still deny that fact. I'm sorry, but what he did to me and many others does not make me feel sorry for him. He knowingly did his dirty deeds, and we had nothing to do with his "stroke". Report abuse John R wrote on August 03, 2008 05:50 PM: OK Cindy - let me ask you this, can you unequivocally say that Dr. Desai is "faking" his strokes at convenient times.. would you bet on that? I'll take any poster on this newspaper site to task. Read what I'm writing: I don't know if he's guilty or innocent, for all I know he may be guilty and deserves the highest, most absolute punishment the court can offer. If he did what he's accused of doing he deserves to be in jail forever. However, what I want to clarify is that the man HAS had two strokes and yes - stress can induce prexisting conditions at inopportune times. He has had a stroke, period - and people ought not to question that aspect of this trial. Report abuse Cindy wrote on August 03, 2008 04:02 PM: Oh yes John R, we know ALL about his last stroke. He had that one right before another court proceeding. How convenient. You must take us all for morons. The man IS guilty. Report abuse John R wrote on August 03, 2008 07:48 AM: Vegas Vick and others: What makes all of you so righteous that you can wish ill on another human being and judge him without having ANY knowledge of the facts whatsoever? Who are you? What God-given rights do all of you have to judge this man? Yes - I understand that the facts weigh heavily against him in this case and that we are entitled to our opinions of him - he will have his day in court and face the legal ramifications of his actions - the truth will come out. However, to wish ill on another human being does NOT make you any better than him - and you will face your own judgment day in a much higher court. I know for a fact that he did have a severe stroke - his family is heart broken (as are families and friends of hepatitis victims) but by wishing him ill health the posters on this forum do not rise above the fray - they just show their own lack of humanity. Unbelievable. Report abuse Vegas Vic wrote on August 02, 2008 05:33 PM: How "fortunate" that Dr. Dipstick Dizzy has had a "severe" stroke...right in the middle of the flap he caused by having his people, in the name of saving a buck, reuse medical supplies. I don't feel sorry for this scum. If he hadn't been so greedy, as his mantra of "money, money, money" proves, there wouldn't BE a problem now. I hope everyone who was affected by the piece of slime's actions sues him until hell freezes over. Report abuse Cindy wrote on August 02, 2008 04:40 PM: Tony Clark is a LIAR. Why would anyone in their right mind take his word for anything? This is not going to go away Tony Clark and Dr Desai. Not if you wait years, this will not go away. 50,000 people have longggggg memories. Report abuse Eddie wrote on August 02, 2008 10:44 AM: It is amazing that even when nothing about "race" is brought up in a comment that Tingh continues to proclaim it. Are you family, friend, a colleague in crime? Report abuse This smells wrote on August 02, 2008 10:06 AM: Let the cover up begin. Read All Comments