Hidden patient records, illegal surgeries among reasons Miami plastic surgeons fined

The list of reasons three Miami-Dade plastic surgeons were punished include illegal surgeries, unlicensed staff caring for patients after surgery, and hiding patient records from state inspectors.

Whether or not these doctors committed these violations, they’re responsible as the designated physicians for office surgery centers in Coral Gables, Aventura and West Miami-Dade.

An office surgery center’s designated physician makes sure the center complies with regulations and laws. When Florida Department of Health inspections turn up violations at the surgery center, separate administrative complaints are filed against the surgery center and the designated physician.

READ MORE: Dr. John Nees let an unqualified anesthesiologist work on his patient. The patient died

In alphabetical order:

Keith Berman, Dolls Plastic Surgery, Aventura

Dr. Keith Berman is still the designated physician at Aventura’s Dolls Plastic Surgery, 18205 Biscayne Blvd., as he was when Florida Department of Health inspectors dropped by on Feb. 22, 2023. The administrative complaint said inspectors found:

▪ At least once, Dolls hadn’t used complete pre-operative evaluation forms that showed the surgeon had done all the pre-op evaluation steps.

▪ At least once, there was a liposuction where more than 4,000 cubic centimeters of supernantant fat were removed.

▪ At least once, Dolls had done a “major liposuction” using more than 1,000 cubic centimeters of supernantant fat “in a remote location from another procedure.”

Berman was fined $5,000, ordered to pay $2,180 in Department of Health case costs and take two five-hour continuing medical education classes in risk management and laws, rules and ethics.

Dolls’ corporate registration say it’s run by managers Leonardo Campo and Heriberto Martinez.

Gamaliel Mattos, Xiluet Plastic Surgery, West Miami-Dade

State inspectors and local medical malpractice lawyers know Xiluet Plastic Surgery, 8396 SW Eighth St., and Xiluet’s smaller offshoot that was across the parking lot before its January suspension.

READ MORE: New disciplinary actions on office surgery centers from Miami to Palm Beach

▪ When Department of Health inspectors visited the Surgery Center of Westchester aka Xiluet Plastic Surgery on June 27, 2021, the “inspection was unannounced, but patient records were withheld from the inspectors and were unavailable for inspection, preventing the annual review of patient records.”

▪ Also, “the facility had no compliance with Level II or Level III required anesthesia and emergency training.” The Florida Department of Health says during a Level II office surgery, the patient can “tolerate unpleasant procedures,” but remains conscious enough to respond to touch or verbal requests. Level III office surgeries involve general anesthesia and pre-surgery sedation.

▪ Inspectors also “found no policy and procedure manual, which must be maintained in the office and updated annually.”

▪ There was “no required risk management program, including quarterly review of such information by the surgeon.”

▪ Dr. Gamaliel Mattos, the designated physician, was responsible for keeping the transfer agreements and hospital staff privileges for surgeons at Xiluet. Mattos was also responsible for keeping the paperwork that showed Xiluet patients were told about their surgeon’s transfer agreements and staff privileges.

Mattos was fined $10,000, charged $2,096 in Department of Health case costs and required to take a five-hour continuing medical education class in risk management and another five-hour class in laws, rules and ethics. Xiluet is run by President Monica Vazquez.

John Sampson, Seduction Cosmetic Center, Coral Gables

Dr. John Sampson is no longer listed on Seduction’s website or among Seduction’s practitioners on the Florida Department of Health website.

But they’re still linked as defendants in the lawsuit by the estate of Erica Russell, who died on June 16, 2021, as the sixth or seventh Seduction surgery of the day by Sampson, who wasn’t supposed to be doing surgeries at all.

Seduction and Sampson had told the state he would be just the designated physician. As the designated physician, Sampson was fined $5,000 plus $1,262 case costs for Seduction’s violations. Also, a reprimand was issued against Sampson’s license.

These violations stem from a Department of Health inspection two days after Russell’s death. Inspectors found:

▪ A doctor performing surgery who wasn’t registered with the Department of Health to perform office surgeries.

▪ Doctors listed on the registration who didn’t work at Seduction anymore.

▪ At least one “post-operative follow up ... was completed by an unlicensed staff member who signed as a nurse practitioner or physician.”

▪ “Multiple surgical logs” without required information, such as operating room arrival time, level of surgery, type of anesthesia, duration of recovery, recovery staff, total supernatant fat removed and adverse events.

▪ Seduction, which has been run by President Gretel Jardon since 2008, couldn’t show they made a backup power safety check.