NJ Doc Accused Of ‘Disfiguring’ Patients May Be Allowed To Practice Again

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A surgeon in Essex County who allegedly caused “permanent disfigurement” to his patients may eventually be allowed to practice again – with some strict conditions from the state, authorities announced Wednesday.

David A. Greuner has agreed to a seven-year suspension of his medical license to resolve allegations that his practice of endovascular surgery grossly deviated from the standard of care and caused patients bodily harm that included “permanent disfigurement, tissue loss, pain, wounds and scarring.”

Greuner practiced general, thoracic and vascular surgery in Roseland, West Caldwell and other locations, according to a statement from Attorney General Matthew Platkin and the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.

Greuner has not practiced in New Jersey since his medical license was temporarily suspended in August 2022, authorities said.

Authorities said that the allegations against Greuner stem from embolization procedures he performed on three patients to treat congenital defects resulting in abnormal connections of blood vessels – conditions known as venous malformations or “VMs.”

Here’s what happened, prosecutors alleged:

“When done correctly, an embolization is a delicate procedure that that uses an embolic agent to block the blood flow to VMs to help restore normal blood flow and return patients to normal functioning. However, a surgical misstep can be catastrophic and result in severe pain, loss of sensation and function, and/or necrosis in affected areas, as occurred in Greuner’s patients. One 40-year-old patient, for instance, suffered necrosis of the rectal tissue during a catheter embolization in her pelvic area, which necessitated the surgical removal of her rectum and part of her colon. She now requires an ostomy bag to empty her bowels.”

Two other patients reportedly suffered from painful increased pressure – a condition known as “compartment syndrome” – in their lower legs shortly after undergoing vascular embolization in those limbs. Both needed emergency surgery to relieve that pressure, causing pain and some loss of sensation and/or function, requiring extensive reconstructive wound care.

The condition of one patient was so severe that she faced the risk of leg amputation, prosecutors said.

According to authorities, other alleged “gross deviations” from accepted standards of care included:

• Inadequate pre-operative planning by failing to obtain MRI imaging to confirm the presence of AVMs prior to his intervention
• Reliance on incomplete and/or poor pre- and post-operative angiographic images
• Primary use of embolic agents that produce only temporary results and are associated with a restoration of blood flow to the VM
• Failure to maximize patient recovery by scheduling embolization procedures within two weeks, instead of waiting six weeks between procedures

Prosecutors said Greuner is not formally trained in vascular surgery.

In a final consent order filed on July 11, Greuner agreed to resolve these allegations with a seven-year suspension of his medical license.

Under the terms of the final consent order, Greuner must successfully complete a board-approved ethics course, complete 20 hours of continuing medical education specific to surgical practice, and undergo a full evaluation and assessment of his general medical knowledge and skill before he becomes eligible for reinstatement.

Several other conditions apply, authorities said:

“If Greuner’s license is reinstated, his surgical practice would be limited to general surgery only. Upon reinstatement, Greuner would be required to comply with practice monitoring for a period of not less than five years. If Greuner seeks to practice vascular surgery and perform endovascular procedures in the future, he must complete an ACGME-accredited vascular surgery fellowship program for at least a two-year period, and become board certified in vascular surgery. After completing this fellowship and attaining Board certification, Greuner’s first 50 endovascular procedures, at minimum, must be monitored by an experienced vascular surgeon who is pre-approved by the Board and who shall report their findings to the Board in writing before Greuner can petition the Board for an unrestricted license. If he is reinstated, Greuner must also pay a $25,000 civil penalty and reimburse the Division $76,770 for investigative costs and attorney’s fees.”

According to the consent order, Greuner admitted that he failed to keep accurate medical records for the above patients, but he neither admits nor denies the remaining allegations.

“[The] respondent is entering into this agreement to avoid a further protracted legal proceeding in order to focus on his ongoing recovery,” the consent order states.

Authorities said that patients who believe they have been treated by a licensed health care professional in an inappropriate manner can file an online complaint with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs by visiting its website or by calling 1-800-242-5846 or 973-504-6200.

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