A US obstetrician/gynaecologist, who had already been reprimanded by the state medical board three times since 2004, and even lost her licence once before, permanently surrendered it last month after a patient’s death from late-stage endometrial cancer.
In May, the Wisconsin State Medical Examining Board had unanimously voted to suspend the medical licence of Dr Victoria Mondloch for providing substandard medical care and engaging in unprofessional conduct related to a patient with endometrial cancer.
Although she denied the charges, she agreed to abide by the decision and voluntarily surrendered her medical licence on 21 June, reports MedPage Today.
Mondloch had started treating the patient in July 2021 for endometrial cancer, telling her “endometrial ablation is a sufficient treatment alternative in most patients” and recommending she return for “a total body thermogram, a CT scan of her abdomen/pelvis to determine if it were superficial in the endometrial lining only, and blood work to check her hormone levels”.
Mondloch reportedly did not refer the patient to a gynaecological oncologist, nor did she consult with a gynaecological oncologist at any time while treating or diagnosing the patient, according to court documents.
In October 2021, the patient again spoke to Mondloch regarding lab results and bleeding. Mondloch, who had previously recommended six months of high-dose progesterone treatment, told the patient to take “a temporary break in progesterone to ‘trigger a bleed’,” the documents stated.
She also recommended another endometrial biopsy, more lab work, and continued use of vitamins and exercise.
Through several more interactions between October 2021 and March 2022, Mondloch reportedly continued to treat the patient, who continued bleeding, with progesterone and vitamin supplements, and continued to recommend CT scans and ultrasounds of her abdomen and pelvis.
Then, on 30 March 2022, Mondloch told the patient about “non-confirmed and experimental reports about the use of kinase proteins and regenerative medicine to treat cancer, including exosome treatment”.
Mondloch then allegedly administered exosome intravenous treatment to the woman, but on 1 April, Mondloch reportedly recommended she contact a cancer treatment centre after noting that a recent endometrial biopsy showed high-grade serous carcinoma.
In May 2022, the patient underwent a total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and omentectomy.
The pathology results confirmed she had stage IVB high-grade serous endometrial carcinoma, “with extensive involvement of the entire thickness of the myometrium, cervix and upper vagina, lymphovascular space, bilateral ovaries, and fallopian tubes”.
Chemotherapy was recommended to her at that time.
On 2 June Mondloch reportedly discussed using “healing bed technology” with the patient.
On 27 August 2022, the patient died from stage IVB endometrial cancer.
History of transgressions
In 2004, Mondloch was ordered to complete a re-education programme due to a history of allegedly providing substandard care to several obstetrics patients. Her license was reinstated in April 2005.
In 2013, she was barred from practicing obstetrics by the state medical board after several alleged failures to provide minimally competent care to her patients. One example listed in the documents noted that she misdiagnosed a patient with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and hormone imbalance and recommended “ovarian drilling” when it was not indicated.
Mondloch also reportedly performed a laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy to treat a patient’s menometrorrhagia and menstrual migraines without “attempting more conservative medical management of the symptoms”.
She was also accused of “failing to address the patient’s intraoperative bleeding during the laparoscopic portion of the procedure”, according to the board documents.
Mondloch also had her license suspended in 2021 for allegedly failing to complete CME credit requirements from 2016-2017, the documents noted.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
HPCSA finding placing PE heart surgeon under supervision is set aside
US insulin infusion doctor barred from solo practice
US doctor accused of killing 14 patients – experts cite ‘flawed’ hospital system