Medical Board penalizes doctor for botched cosmetic surgeries
By Cy Ryan (contact)

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 | 11:04 a.m.

CARSON CITY — The state Board of Medical Examiners fined a Las Vegas physician $4,500 and placed his medical license on probation for malpractice in botching two breast enlargement surgeries and a face lift.

The board issued a public reprimand to Dr. Sean Phong-Quoc Su, who was also found guilty of failing to keep adequate records and in trying to deceive a board investigator.

The board has barred Dr. Su from “performing any medical or surgical procedures that are of a cosmetic or plastic surgical nature for 18 months.” The board must also have full access to his records.

Su must pay $25,120 to the board to cover the cost of its investigation.

In April 2009, Su performed breast implant surgery on a 29-year-old woman in his office at the Skin Body Institute. The medical board said he failed to perform the procedure safely or competently and used improper and excessive suture materials, which increased the potential for infection.

The woman ended up at Sunrise Hospital, where the damage was repaired.

The second patient was a 25-year-old woman who suffered complications after a breast augmentation. The board said the surgery was not conducted safely or competently and the woman suffered from chronic inflammation and scar tissue.

The third patient was a 64-year-old woman who wanted cosmetic surgery. But the board said Dr. Su did not perform the eyelid enhancement procedure correctly. There was permanent damage to the tissues, permanent redness and discoloration around both of the woman’s eyes.

All of the surgeries were performed in his office, which was an unlicensed surgical center.