Watch CBS News

Lawsuits Claim Indiana Doctor Recommended Unnecessary Heart Surgery

(CBS) -- They had heart surgery, but claim they didn't need it and now two patients are suing Indiana Doctor Arvind Gandhi.

Those patients told CBS 2's Dana Kozlov how the alleged unnecessary procedures put their lives at risk.

"I had been doing fine up until I saw Dr. Gandhi," said Gloria Sargent.

Sargent and Ray Kammer have one thing in common: both say they went under the knife for heart procedures unnecessarily.

"It was pretty much almost put the fear of God in me that if I didn't have the implant done, I'd run the risk of dying," said Kammer.

Both had their respective implants on the advice of Munster, Indiana cardiologist Arvind Gandhi. In Ray Kammer's case, he did so despite a second opinion stating he didn't need it. Their doubts grew and both contacted attorneys.

"The EKG's did not show the proper criteria for these implants to occur," said attorney David Cutshaw.

Now they're suing Gandhi and Munster Community Hospital alleging, in part, that the hospital gave the procedural go-ahead knowing Gandhi didn't meet proper criteria. They sued after an Indiana medical review board found cause.

"With what we've learned with Mr. Kammer and Ms. Sargent, with these panels in our favor, there is likely other patients out there," said attorney Paul Rossi.

They're running an ad Thursday urging others to come forward. The attorneys also claim that Dr. Gandhi ranks 19th in the nation when it comes to Medicare reimbursements.

"We've learned that the implantation of defibrillators and pacemakers provide good compensation, in fact lucrative compensation for the hospitals," attorney Barry Booth.

A manager at Dr. Gandhi's clinic would not comment. A spokesperson for Munster Community Hospital refers back to a dismissed 2011 federal lawsuit citing similar allegations and says they can't speculate as to why the plaintiffs are bringing this "old news" to the media now.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.