CLARK COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18)– A Clark County surgeon who had his medical license put on hold after he was accused of operating while under the influence is free to practice medicine once again.
One of Dr. Heilig’s former patients tells LEX 18 that she had a total hip replacement in 2012 and she was not happy with the results.
“I can’t work. I don’t function right. My hip and pelvis is off, it’s tilted. One of my legs is longer than the other,” said April Dunn.
She said that Dr. Heilig was her surgeon that day and that she will never go back to him. Part of the reason for that decision is because of state medical records.
Those records reveal hospital staff had concerns about Dr. Heilig’s sobriety in the operating room in May of this year. That day, the orthopedic specialist had already performed two surgeries at Clark Regional Medical Center and was about to start a third, according to the records. Written statements by nurses said that Heilig was “not acting like himself” and was “stumbling with his eyes closed and mumbling.” The paperwork says that Heilig later tested positive for several drugs.
Although he was not accused of this when Dunn had her surgery, she still wonders if he was sober during it.
“That’s scary knowing that you’re laying on a table being operated on by someone who is under the influence of drugs.
Thursday, after 90 days of having his license put on hold, there are no more restrictions on Heilig’s license.
