Ogden cosmetic surgeon Wesley G. Harline is being sued by two former breast implant patients in 2nd District Court, and the state is seeking to have his license revoked.
Kristina Cacace of New York accuses Harline of puncturing her lung during breast implant surgery, and Janine Martyn of California claims in a separate suit that Harline's surgery left her with deformed breasts. Each is seeking damages from the doctor.The Utah attorney general's office has been investigating other allegations of medical negligence, use of silicone products that are not approved in breast surgery, sexual misconduct with a patient and inappropriate prescription of drugs, said Robert Steed of the attorney general's office. Those allegations are part of a state complaint that could lead to revocation of Harline's license.
Harline would not comment on the state's investigation.
Even before the latest complaints, Harline was disciplined by the Utah Occupational and Professional Licensing Division.
In 1977, he was placed on probation for five years for inappropriately prescribing controlled drugs. In 1985, he was given a three-year probation and then his license was suspended for 90 days after he performed a second-trimester abortion in his office instead of in a hospital.
In her suit, Cacace, who came from New York to Ogden for the surgery, charges that Harline punctured her lung during a 1993 breast augmentation.
Steven Walkenhorst, one of Harline's attorneys, said the doctor acknowledges the woman's lung was punctured but said that is a risk Cacace was warned about before the surgery.
Harline's notes indicate Cacace's lung was reinflated and was operating well before she left his clinic seven days later, Walkenhorst said. She claims an X-ray three days later showed she still had diminished lung capacity.
Martyn said she asked Harline to increase her breast size to a D cup, or smaller if needed. However, she said, the implants were so large they caused her to look deformed.
In his reply to Martyn's suit, Harline said he gave Martyn what she asked for - a D cup. He claims her problems were caused by her own negligence.