MASSDEVICE ON CALL — Pennsylvania Hospital has remained rather closed-lipped about the excess stenting scandal that resulted in the resignation of one of its cardiologists, but at least 1 patient sprang to the defense of accused cardiologist Dr. Vidya Banka.
The doctor is under investigation by the hospital over "concerns about the appropriateness of some cardiac stent placements," according to a Pennsylvania Hospital statement.
"We conducted a review of a sample of his cases, including consulting with outside cardiovascular experts," according to a hospital statement. "Because the findings of this sample review showed that some patients received cardiac stents where the patient testing did not appear to show significant vascular blockages, we have notified the U.S. Attorney and the State Board of Medicine and have accepted his resignation from the medical staff at Pennsylvania Hospital."
Banka told Philadelphia’s local CBS affiliate that he resigned out of respect for the hospital’s administrators, and he denied any wrongdoing, CBS Philly reported.
Patient John O’Brien told the news outlet that Dr. Banka was a conservative physician, and that the doctor had steered his away from stenting after a heart attack in 2004.
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