More patients are filing lawsuits due to unexpected injuries caused laser surgery procedures performed by non-doctors, Reuters reports.
Non-doctors in Maine were not allowed to do laser surgery that removes unwanted hair. However the researchers found that mid 2011, restrictions to laser operations were lifted in Nevada.
Lead author Dr. H. Ray Jalian said that it has become a practice in some states where "You literally can have no certification, no training and just hang up a shingle."
The team of researchers analyzed public cases about lawsuits against laser surgery operations done on the skin. A significant increase in lawsuits against non-doctors was apparent, from 36 percent in 2008 to 78 percent in 2011.
The findings also show that laser hair removal had the most legal cases, followed by skin rejuvenation where the operations resulted to scars and leg veins.
They noted that out of 175 legal cases on laser operations to remove unwanted hair and scars, there were 75 cases that had non-doctors performing the laser operations.
According to Jalian, the nurses, interns, medical assistants and technicians who do these laser surgeries may lack proper training or may be in a rush to finish the operations.
Most of these cases where the doctors are not performing the laser surgeries were found to be done in medical spas instead of formal medical institutions.
"The evidence suggests there may be something more risky (about) getting a procedure done by a non-physician, particularly in a non-medical setting. A lot of people view it as something like getting a haircut, but it's a bit more involved and has greater risks. There's a chance you could have a scar or a burn for life," said Jalian.
The International SPA Association offered no official statement about the issue of medical spas getting the highest lawsuits for laser surgeries.
The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association otherwise stated that in cases where a non-doctor performs the laser surgery, "The supervising physician shall be physically present on-site, immediately available, and able to respond promptly to any question or problem that may occur while the procedure is being performed."
The study was published in the Oct. 16 issue of the JAMA Dermatology.
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