Most overworked brain surgeons would look forward to some R&R on their Disney family vacation. Not Dr. Paolo Bolognese.
For at least two straight years, the embattled Long Island surgeon gave free consultations to prospective patients in the opulent lobby of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – even though he’s not licensed in Florida.
“At the time I had no idea I was a bumbling fool, happy to be getting a second opinion from him,” said Kristin Keene, of Orlando, who was suffering from headaches and balance problems from a rare brain anomaly called Chiari malformation.
“In retrospect, it’s almost seedy,” the mother of two added, describing how another four people waited in line at night to talk to him on Feb. 3, 2005, as if at a book signing.
Keene said Bolognese, who pulls in some $2.5 million a year, belittled other surgeons, bragged about his expertise and used crude language that shocked her and her husband.
At one point in the nearly hour-long consult, Bolognese compared Keene’s brain anatomy to a former “Baywatch” actress’ breasts.
“You already have a cerebellum slump [which] means that the gravity is calling, and this part of the cerebellum is kind of sagging down,” Bolognese said on the recorded consultation. “It’s like Pamela Anderson at 60. OK? Without the bra.”
Florida health officials say Bolognese – deputy director of North Shore University Hospital’s Chiari Institute – is not licensed in the Sunshine State.
Eulinda Smith, a spokeswoman for the Florida Health Department, said doctors who are not licensed there cannot review “medical tests and or histories of persons for the purpose of making a diagnosis and offering suggestions as [to] a treatment plan.”
This is not the first time Bolognese has been in hot water.
Bolognese was suspended – then reinstated – by North Shore in April, when he failed to show up and operate on his patient Jennifer Ronca, who was already on an operating table under anesthesia. He is also being sued – along with former chief of neurosurgery Thomas Milhorat – for allegedly doing unnecessary surgeries on adults and young children for financial gain. New York State health officials are investigating.
North Shore Hospital officials said they had no knowledge of Bolognese seeing prospective patients outside of New York State, where he is licensed, although not board-certified. “The hospital certainly does not sanction any conduct that’s inappropriate or illegal,” said spokesman Terry Lynam. “We are going to investigate this. It’s disconcerting.”
It’s not known how many other times he met with Florida patients or how many eventually made it to North Shore for surgery.
Bolognese reached out to Florida Chiari sufferers through a support group closely tied to North Shore’s Chiari Institute in Manhasset, L.I.
Kathleen Grigg, who was a key member of the World Arnold Chiari Malformation Assn., sent an e-mail to fellow members in 2005 and 2006, saying the surgeon and father of four would be in Florida for a family vacation and would see people who were unable to come to his New York office.
“Anybody that went was thanking me, kissing my feet,” said Grigg, who told The News she has had 11 surgeries with Bolognese and Milhorat. “I trust Dr. B. with my life and I wouldn’t have done it if I thought it was some scam.”
In an e-mail soliciting prospective patients, Bolognese said he would see six to eight patients at his hotel and said they could record the conversation.
Keene arrived at 8:30 p.m. for her appointment with him at the Grand Floridian, Disney’s most expensive property, which charges upward of $2,000 a night for a suite in peak season.
Bolognese talked to Keene for nearly an hour amid the potted palm trees, grand piano and giant white bird cage as throngs of winter tourists ambled by. He told her she would need her brain shunt replaced at some point. He suggested Keene’s discomfort could be eased by cutting 12 inches from the shunt. “How do I know?” he asked. “Because we did more shunts on Chiari patients than anybody else in the United States.”
Bolognese also pulled up on Keene’s head and neck as part of his assessment. “I’m damn lucky he didn’t do any damage,” said Keene, who had previous head and neck surgery. “Thinking back on this, he had no regard for the fine line he was crossing.”
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It would seem this Keene lady is of the age of majority, in other words old enough to make her own decisions. She chose to see Dr B and then decided after to make these comments about him? Would she complain if she had gone to NY too? In the world of Chiari many world wide seek TCI (The Chiari Institute) out for their expertice. Unlike other NSGs who do other conditions – Chiari is all (and chiari related conditions) they do. They know it better then the average NSG and do more 're-do' surgeries when other surgeons make mistakes and then refuse to finish the job. As for pulling on her neck – give me a break. Dr B would not have done it if he thought it would have made things worse. Maybe next time she will be happy to pay a second rate NSG to give her a second rate opinion that may or may not be the correct answer. Dr B goes out of his way to do what he can for those of us who need him. Some of us are stuck in countries without any Chiari knowledgable NSG and its all a guessing game. If she thinks pulling on her neck was scary – try living in a country where they believe one surgery & your cured. There is NO cure. Surgery is a TREATMENT only. And one surgery perlife time is rare. To be dismissed from NSG care afterwards and never followed up, thats even worse. Some ppl should count their blessings.
It would seem this Keene lady is of the age of majority, in other words old enough to make her own decisions. She chose to see Dr B and then decided after to make these comments about him? Would she complain if she had gone to NY too? In the world of Chiari many world wide seek TCI (The Chiari Institute) out for their expertice. Unlike other NSGs who do other conditions – Chiari is all (and chiari related conditions) they do. They know it better then the average NSG and do more 're-do' surgeries when other surgeons make mistakes and then refuse to finish the job. As for pulling on her neck – give me a break. Dr B would not have done it if he thought it would have made things worse. Maybe next time she will be happy to pay a second rate NSG to give her a second rate opinion that may or may not be the correct answer. Dr B goes out of his way to do what he can for those of us who need him. Some of us are stuck in countries without any Chiari knowledgable NSG and its all a guessing game. If she thinks pulling on her neck was scary – try living in a country where they believe one surgery & your cured. There is NO cure. Surgery is a TREATMENT only. And one surgery perlife time is rare. To be dismissed from NSG care afterwards and never followed up, thats even worse. Some ppl should count their blessings.