Office surgery limits upheld

By Times staff writer

Revised September 7, 2000

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 12, 2000

The Florida 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee on Friday rejected an emergency request from the Florida Medical Association to stop a 90-moratorium on office surgeries that involve general anesthesia.

The FMA immediately appealed Friday's decision to the Florida Supreme Court.

A week ago, the Florida Board of Medicine passed a temporary ban on surgeries in doctors' offices in which the patient is put to sleep or heavily sedated.

It was passed after board members said too many people were being hurt or dying during those procedures, particularly during cosmetic surgeries, despite new restrictions on office surgeries passed by the board this year.

Cosmetic and plastic surgeons, especially, say the ban unfairly punishes doctors who are doing a good job.

The 90-day moratorium went into effect Thursday. The FMA, the Florida Academy of Cosmetic Surgeons, and three other groups asked the appeals court in Tallahassee to stop the moratorium from taking effect.

The three-judge panel of the appeals court unanimously denied the stay Friday. The Supreme Court was not expected to rule until next week.

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