July 17, 2008
Why Did a Doctor Temporary Tattoo His Patient?
A NJ woman is suing her surgeon for putting a temporary rose tattoo, which is described as being on her belly, below her waistline. Her lawyer points out that his client was on her stomach for a herniated disc procedure, so the tattoo must have been placed after the surgery--she discovered it the next day and was very upset by it. The doctor, Steven Kirshner, has apparently left temporary tattoos on patients before to "lift their spirits," but it's unclear where those tattoos were placed. The chairman of U.Penn's Medical School Department of Medical Ethics said, "You cannot do something like this even as a joke."
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C'mon! Is a lawsuit necessary for this?
A falling brick to the head I can see, but this?
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While there are too many frivilous lawsuits out there, this is definitely necessary. How would you like to have this perv tattooing or even piercing your body while you're still under from surgery.
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Wow, you're dumb.
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Why couldn't the doctor tattoo a temporary smiley face on the back of her hand? Seriously--a tattoo under your waistline? That has lawsuit or at least ethical inquiry written all over it!
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The tatto is TEMPORARY.
Fine the guy or something, but throw this lawsuit out.
Complete BS.
"Oh my god its so awful but give me some money and everything will be okay"
Pieces of shit
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Obviously, the doctor is getting sued for the "below the waistline" part. He's done the tattoo thing before and hasn't gotten sued.
The whole idea kinda reminds me of the Charlie Brown band-aids I got as a kid :) The doctor just didn't ask me to drop my pants before giving it to me.
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I'm totally creeped out by this. No unnecessary touching, please.
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The tatto being temporary is irrelevant, you cannot mark someone's body without permission, and especially since she was unconcious and was done below the waist. He's lucky he didn't get disciplined nor sued the first couple of times he has done it.
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And what's wrong with leaving some flowers or a get well soon card by her bedside to lift her spirits??
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yeah, this is creepy. definitely sue the guy.
guessing those saying it isn't a big deal in these comments are men. imagine the same story but the patient was male who woke up with a tattoo below his belt? the Doctor is a perv...
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Note to Everyone Everywhere:
Do Not Do Anything To Anyone Anywhere
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below the waistline!? yeah, this perv doctor needs to be sued, who knows what else he's been up to with his female patients.
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It really does seem like an ethical lapse.
A lawsuit seems a bit much, but the doctor probably should be hauled in front of an ethics board.
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um, it may be gross for him to put it there but it's a fucking temporary tattoo, how the hell can you sue for something harmless that you can wash off right away.
give me a break this disgusting whore needs to learn about life.
ask for your surgery to be free, don't go back, and tell the media.
but don't sue.
dumb bitch.
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Totally inappropriate especially considering she went under for back surgery and was on her stomach. If your unconscious and you wake up with a tattoo below the belt, you have to wonder what else could have happened.
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While it is creepy, I really think some of you don't understand how a temporary tattoo works. You apply them with water, its not some invasive technique like actual tattooing.
That being said, the doctor is dumb for putting it below the waist..everyone knows temp tats look best when applied to the neck.
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He's a perv.
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While there are too many frivilous lawsuits out there, this is definitely necessary.
It's a sticker.
And is it on her belly or below her waistline? Unless she has an odd anatomy, both can't be true.
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What, was Rite Aid out of lollipops?
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Doesn't matter if it's temporary. He still had to pick the area, moisten it, press the tattoo paper, and peel it off delicately. Too intimate of a process for a professional to perform without consent. Dig around in her spine all you want, but leave her belly alone!
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all the guys on here yelling about it being temporary are obviously single.
if some perv doctor was messing around near your girlfriend or wife's genitals you'd be mad as hell & in lieu of kicking the doctor's ass, you'd sue him.
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What a weird way to send a get well soon message. That doctor needs to be investigated because he is a total perv even if his actions are harmless for most of his patients. You can bet he's at home right now, yanking the hard drive out of his computer.
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The problem here is the tattoo was below her wait line. While she was unconscious what else did this doctor do? Did he start fooling around with her?
If this tattoo was on the arm or leg then I don't see a problem with.
The doctor is a freak. Case closed.
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Remember the doctor that burned his initials or his school's initials (I forget) into a patient's uterus when he was cauterizing the area?
Something like that. My details may be off.
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stupid doctor. sue him and send him to the ethics board. that will make him think.
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Nice selection of kneejerk reactions here. You can't trust the doctor because you don't know what else he might have done? You'd better be awake for every operation you have from now on, then. The tattoo was "below her waistline," but you have no idea how far down that actually is. In fact, it's probably not too far down, since people generally don't call their genital area their "belly," as the piece described.
And is it on her belly or below her waistline? Unless she has an odd anatomy, both can't be true.
Yes, it can. The belly extends a few inches below the waistline. Don't confuse the waist with the hips.
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I think I would be shocked and consider it unprofessional if my wife came out of the OR with a temporary tattoo on her hand let alone below the belt. Why would that cheer someone up who's over 6 years old??
You know what would cheer her up is even stitchwork and complete professionalism while she's unconscious.
And btw - in a completely different galaxy of inappropriate behavior, that story they reference of a doctor carving his initials in a woman's abdomen after a c-section. What the fuck??? Now if that were my wife I'd want to beat the shit out the Dr. and carve a picture of a dick on his forehead.
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Here's a link to the 1999 initials-carved-into C-section patient story. The patient eventually settled, he got probation. and a new job.
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The doctor is unbelievably stupid. You cannot do this.
People who say that the tatoo is temporary are missing the point entirely. Say he decided to draw pictures with a marker while she was unconscious instead. Hey, it washes off so it's all good right? Or maybe he decided to give her a haircut. Hey, it'll grow back! No harm, no foul right? Give me a break.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that you're taught not to touch other people without permission in like 1st grade these days. Those standards are multiplied tenfold if you're a doctor taking care of a patient. Suspend his license.
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--"
It's just a tattoo ... plus temporary~
Below waistline?! No harm done. The whole no-touchie-no-permission doesn't apply to that. =)
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Knowing the doctor as a friend, he is certainly no perv and the tattoo, while placed in a questionable area was done so in full view of 2 nurses and the anaesthesiologist...the woman and her husband attempted to extort money from the doctor before going public..it's a stick on tattoo where little application or pressure is required...
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Thanks for the link Jen. I thought there was one where the doc burned something inside the woman. But then how would anyone see that?