The investigative Committee of the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners has a reasonable basis to believe that Nayab Mohammad Zafar, M.D. violated the provisions of the Nevada Medical Practices Act.  

Dr. Zafar is charged on two counts – one count of malpractice and another count of failure to maintain proper medical records.

The complaint against Dr. Zafar said he examined a patient (identity withheld) and noted that the patient had a recent CT Angiography showing a 70% stenosis (narrowing) of the left internal carotid artery and presented a high surgical risk.  The complaint alleges that in a follow-up visit, Dr. Zafar recommended a balloon angioplasty and stent placement.

As per the allegations, the stent was deployed by Dr. Zafar, however, one of the wires got trapped as it was not removed before stent deployment.  Due to the entrapment of the filter wire, emergency surgical retrieval of the endovascular wire and stent was required and performed.  In his response to the inquiry, Dr. Zafar maintained that he had instructed the scrub technician to only partially inflate the stent.  The complaint alleges that there is, however, no indication in Dr. Zafar’s medical records that he mentioned this to the scrub technician. 

The complaint outlines that Dr. Zafar failed to use the reasonable care, skill, or knowledge ordinarily used under similar circumstances when rendering medical services to this particular patient when he made an error in judgment that resulted in the endovascular wire being trapped, thereby requiring emergency surgery.

On both counts, Dr. Zafar is subject to discipline by the Board as provided in the Nevada Medical Practices Act.  Dr. Zafar has 20 days to respond from the date of complaint to the complaint by the Board.

Dr. Zafar is a graduate of Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan.  Zafar completed his residency and fellowship in Interventional Cardiology from the University of California, San Diego, CA.