Patient Dies during Surgery by a Friend

In what appears to be a pattern of deficient behavior, a Portland doctor

Dr. Abbassian's medical clinic

has had her medical license suspended pending an investigation which may lead to a permanent revocation.

According to reports from the Oregon Medical Board, the doctor was under scrutiny for violations related to deficiencies in billing and chart audits performed from 2007 to 2009. During the audits it was discovered that Dr. Abbassian gave every patient a B-12 shot regardless of the patient’s current levels of the vitamin.

On December 15^th of this year, the doctor was responsible for the death of a patient and friend when a surgery, performed in the doctor’s Portland clinic went horribly wrong. After receiving a local anesthetic, the patient had a seizure and became unresponsive. When the paramedics arrived, Dr. Abbassian was not performing any CPR even though the patient was not breathing and did not have a pulse. After bring placed on life support, the patient died at the nearby hospital four days later.

Among the errors cited by the medical board were the fact that the doctor was unassisted and had failed to conduct a sufficient evaluation before the procedure. Additionally the board concluded that the clinic “was not equipped to address a medical emergency” and that Abbassian “failed to respond in a competent manner to her patient’s distress.”