Plastic Surgeon indicted over illegal implants

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http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1032587.php

>

> Tuesday, March 7, 2006

> Surgeon indicted over illegal implants

> Brea doctor pleads not guilty to using silicone for

> breast augmentation and covering up the practice.

>

> By LISA LIDDANE The Orange County Register

>

>

> SANTA ANA - His Web site, www.thebreastexpert.com,

> touts Dr. Frederic Corbin as an authority in breast

> surgery. Monday, Corbin's use of that expertise was

> in question.

>

> Corbin, who practices in Brea and Beverly Hills,

> appeared in federal court in Santa Ana, facing

> charges that he unlawfully used silicone-gel breast

> implants in at least three patients, destroyed

> medical documents and falsified patient records.

>

> He pleaded not guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge

> N. Block. If convicted, Corbin faces up to

> five years in prison.

>

> The indictment " looks to be based upon the

> allegations of a former disgruntled employee, " said

> Drew Ciccone, Corbin's lawyer. " Dr. Corbin didn't do

> anything wrong. "

>

> Silicone-gel breast implants have been controversial

> because of safety concerns, and since the early

> 1990s they've been used in the United States only in

> studies with strict patient criteria. They have not

> been readily available for cosmetic surgery.

>

> Silicone, however, remains popular in Europe and is

> widely considered more aesthetically pleasing than

> the now-common saline implants.

>

> The Food and Drug Administration is expected to make

> a decision whether to reverse the ban on silicone

> implants, possibly as soon as this year.

>

> According to the indictment, Corbin illegally

> obtained Paragel silicone-gel implants from Mexico

> around 1996 and implanted them in several patients,

> including one identified as Jane S.

>

> Doctors are not allowed to use silicone-gel implants

> other than those by U.S. manufacturers Mentor Corp.

> and Inamed Corp., which recently was acquired by

> Allergan Inc. of Irvine.

>

> The indictment states that in two other patients'

> records, Corbin falsely stated that the women had

> conditions making them eligible for silicone

> implants. He subsequently used Mentor silicone

> implants for their surgeries in 2000, court records

> show.

>

> When a Mentor representative conducted an audit,

> Corbin presented false medical records for patients

> identified as Holly D. and T., according to

> the indictment.

>

> Mentor Corp. declined to comment on the case.

>

> Assistant U.S. Attorney n said the

> coverup was more serious than the original offense.

>

> " When it came to light that there was going to be an

> audit, Dr. Corbin allegedly tore pages out of his

> ledger, " n said. " He is accused of ordering his

> staff to do things to help him cover up. "

>

> Allegations such as those lodged against Corbin are

> uncommon, said Dr. Wells, past president of

> the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and former

> chairman of the physician group's now inactive

> Breast Implant Task Force.

>

> " This is an issue of integrity, " Wells said. " The

> physicians understand what the FDA guidelines are

> and they're tasked with meeting those guidelines. "

>

> Trial is set for May 2.

>

>

>

> ~~~~

>

>

>

> www.BreastImplantAwareness.org

>