Q: Is a doctor morally and ethically responsible for removing a device that was surgically implanted in a patients back?
Spinal Cord Stimulator implanted January 2017. The doctor refuses to remove device, because it could cause paralysis and further injury. The doctor has dismissed my wife as a patient. All doctor's contacted have refused to remove the device. She is in severe and excruciating pain from the device which is burning mark's on her spine from the lead's that were implanted. My wife has asked her former doctor to remove the device several times after surgery, but wanted her to keep the device in on the advice of the company representative's. It's a Billion dollar business. The company is good at recruiting pain management doctor's who have desperate patient's with a lot of pain and are willing to try anything to relieve the pain. The representative's of the device is Boston Scientific.
A: morally and ethically only if they are free of reservations--you can't force a doctors opinions and I'm hearing this one believes that removal could cause paralysis. Suggest you look to the Johnson Foundation on the medical /ethical issues.
A: You may however have a product case. Suggest you contact a member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Assn who handles medical device cases--they give free consults.
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