University of Wisconsin plastic surgeon John Siebert is being sued for medical malpractice in Dane County District Court by a patient for sexual exploitation and medical negligence.
According to the complaint, Keri Anne Connaughty of Wausau, saw Siebert for breast augmentation and abdominoplasty, or a tummy tuck, surgeries.
Connaughty had selected breast implants 225-250 cubic centimeters, but Siebert instead used implants that were 350-375 cubic centimeters.
Additionally, Connaughty complained of pain, swelling and bleeding in her abdomen. When she visited Siebert March 9, 2018, he instructed her to lie about what she had eaten to get her into the operating room to insert a drain tube into her abdomen, according to the complaint.
Connaughty alleges Siebert removed the drain tube March 16, 2018, covered the hole with gauze and tucked gauze into Connaughty’s underwear.
According to the complaint, a few days later Siebert inserted another drain into Connaughty’s abdomen. Connaughty alleged that during this insertion, she cried and Siebert wiped her tears and rubbed her bare legs.
Throughout her visits with Siebert, Connaughty also said he called her “babe” and “sweetie,” according to the complaint.
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Siebert had his medical license suspended in New York before he was hired by UW in 2011. From 2006-08, he had a sexual relationship with a patient that resulted in a three-year suspension.
In that situation, the New York State Board of Professional Medical Conduct charged Siebert with “professional misconduct” and “moral unfitness to practice.” Siebert was able to continue to practice if he had a chaperone present when he attended to a female patient.
Connaughty said she learned of Siebert’s inappropriate sexual relationship in New York sometime during March 2018, according to the complaint. She discontinued her care with Siebert March 30, 2018 and was transferred to the care of another doctor at UW Health.
UW Health did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the lawsuit against Siebert.
