Virginia Doctor Accused of Performing Hysterectomies without Patients' Consent
Several female patients are accusing a Virginia OB/GYN doctor of performing irreversible surgeries on them without their consent.
Javaid Perwaiz, 69, of Chesapeake was arrested last Friday on charges of healthcare fraud and making false statements relating to healthcare matters, according to the Virginian-Pilot.
Documents filed in the case say Perwaiz “routinely” told clients they were at risk of cancer in order to “scare patients into having surgery,” according to NBC News.
PEOPLE was unable to immediately obtain court documents related to the accusation.
According to the documents, one woman visited Perwaiz concerning an ectopic pregnancy. When she consulted a separate fertility specialist afterward to try for another pregnancy, she was told that her fallopian tubes were “burnt down to the nubs, making natural conception impossible.”
Another woman claims she was told she needed a hysterectomy — the removal of one’s uterus — amid a threat of cancer. She insisted on a less extensive procedure, but after the surgery, she woke up to “discover Perwaiz performed a total abdominal hysterectomy,” the documents claim.
One more woman claims she visited Perwaiz about her post-menopausal bleeding, and that after the doctor performed a hysterectomy, medical records listed her as having chronic pain and other symptoms she never had prior to the operation, the documents say, according to multiple outlets.
According to NBC News, Perwaiz has faced eight malpractice suits in his career, including allegations that he caused permanent and life-threatening injuries to patients.
With two offices in the Chesapeake, Perwaiz offered services that ranged from annual checkups and prenatal consultations to IUD insertions and treatments of ovarian cysts.
Lawrence H. Woodward Jr., Perwaiz’s attorney, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Perwaiz was associated with several local hospitals, including Chesapeake Regional Medical Center and Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center. A representative from Bon Secours told PEOPLE: “Dr. Perwaiz is not employed by Bon Secours or Bon Secours Medical Group. Like many independent physicians, he has held privileges at different hospitals/health systems.”
Perwaiz, whose website for his practice features the tagline “Quality Healthcare for Women of all Ages,” is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.
Believing there to be even more women impacted by Perwaiz’s alleged malpractice, the FBI told the Virginian-Pilot that patients can call with additional information at 1-800-CALL-FBI or by visiting tips.fbi.gov.
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