Suspended, indicted Miami surgeon keeps operating

Cardiac surgeon Dr. Alex Zakharia has been suspended from the medical staff at Miami's Cedars Medical Center while it investigates 24 of his cases, including several deaths. That hasn't stopped the 69-year-old physician from continuing to operate. In fact, he performed 21 procedures last month and continues to maintain privileges at at least four South Florida hospitals. He's fighting the Cedars suspension.

Even Zakharia's own attorneys concede that Zakharia suffers from memory lapses, but argue that these lapses don't affect his ability to provide care. Meanwhile, in addition to the questions being raised about his surgical skills, Zakharia is fighting federal fraud indictment related to his testimony in a 2003 medical malpractice case.

To learn more about Zakharia's situation:
- read this piece from The Miami Herald

PLUS: A California surgeon working at Sutter Memorial hospital is being singled out by the state for having higher than expected death rates among heart bypass surgery patients. Article

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