The State Board of Medical Examiners found Dr. Santusht Perera moved a portion of the patient’s right lung when he should have been removing a tumor in the left lung, the state Attorney General’s Office said Wednesday.

Perera, according to the board, then told the patient that the right lung contained a life-threatening tumor, though there was no such growth. He also altered the patient’s records to show he intended to operate on the right lung.

The board determined that Perera’s actions constituted gross negligence.

The board said the “tragic error” could have been prevented if Dr. Perera had taken “the most basic and minimal of actions that should be taken by a surgeon in advance of surgery.”

Perera, who practices at Hoboken University Medical Center, was assessed $81,000 in fines and reimbursement costs.

His lawyer, Michael J. Keating, is on vacation and not available for comment, his office said Wednesday.

David Wald, a spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office, said no other complaints were pending against the doctor.

Under the ruling, Perera can appeal for an early restoration of his medical license after six months.

Student at Stevens Tech infected with superbug
by Charles Hack
Tuesday October 30, 2007, 3:56 PM

A student at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken has tested positive for the super-resistant strain of staph infection.

The student, who originally thought he had a bug bite on his leg, went to a school physician about two weeks ago and was then referred to Hoboken University Medical Center, which treated the case, said Joe Stahley, assistant vice president for student development.

The school sent notices last week to students and faculty around campus letting them know about the case – three days after being notified by the hospital that the patient had tested positive.

School officials said that because the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was caught early, the student is well on the road to recovery, officials said. According to the student newspaper, the Stute, a Stevens physician examined the student and said the infection was clearing and the student is not contagious.

Stevens has been cleaning athletic facilities and equipment and the dorm where the student lived as precautions, said Stahley.

Officials recommend frequent handwashing, cleaning athletic equipment after use, and not sharing equipment. People with open wounds or infections should seek treatment from physicians and follow their instructions.

Under state law, hospitals are not required to report individual cases of MRSA. However, Joan Quigley, a spokeswoman for HUMC and a state assemblywoman, said a nurse reported the case to the county as a precaution.

Hoboken’s Heath and Human Services Department was also notified.

When is Harvey going to jail??????????????????????????
chicago,,,,, who do we call about this? rather email about this? what’s the Fed’s 411?

willow wrote:

fyi hoboken isnt the only NJ city to have a university hospital without a university.

Hackensack university medical center is another one

HUMC vs. HUMC, ironic?

Hackensack university medical center is another one

pegnation wrote:

I see that all the St. Mary’s signs have been changed now to Hoboken University Medical Center. Where is Hoboken University anyway? Who came up with that ridiculous name? Years back, we used to call that hospital “Our Lady of the Dirty Needle.” I know someone who actually contracted hepatitis while being treated in their emergency room. They should have shut the damn thing while they had the chance. I wouldn’t take my dog to be treated there.

where can I find that story on this site about some one recently going to the ER and coming home with “a needle” in their arm??!

great place for “students to learn from mistakes” is pretty well stated.. how does this place manage to stay open and running? wait are they open and NOT running is more of the question?