Dr. William Zinnanti: Santa Cruz physician on probation shares his story

Dr. William Zinnanti demonstrates his Smoke Evac Fusion device at his office in Santa Cruz on Thursday afternoon. The device is used to help doctors eliminate smoke when working in the surgical room. (Kevin Johnson -- Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Dr. William Zinnanti's Smoke Evac Fusion device sits on a table at his office in Santa Cruz on Thursday. (Kevin Johnson -- Santa Cruz Sentinel)

SANTA CRUZ >> Dr. William Zinnanti believes in second chances.

A graduate of Penn State College of Medicine, he is an inventor who spent two years as a fellow at Stanford University School of Medicine and now has a private practice in Santa Cruz diagnosing and treating neurological disorders.

He came to Santa Cruz after pleading guilty in 2013 in federal court in Pennsylvania to introducing adulterated medical devices into interstate commerce.

He was put on probation for seven years by the Medical Board of California, which on Friday is expected to vote on a petition from Consumers Union calling on the board to require doctors on probation to notify their patients.

"Californians deserve the right to know whether their doctor is on probation for serious misconduct that could jeopardize their health," said Lisa McGiffert, manager of Consumers Union's Safe Patient Project. "But right now, most patients have no idea when their doctor has been disciplined and put on probation by the Medical Board."

Asked Thursday for his opinion, Zinnanti said, "I have no problem with it, I really don't. I’m here to help people."

As he tells the story, he went to work for his father who had a medical device company and was inspired to pursue a medical degree after his child was diagnosed with autism.

He got a full scholarship, and arrived at age 33 with his wife and children and his medical device company that would make an electrosurgical pencil for Medtronic.

The stress of medical school led to a divorce, he said, with his wife taking over the business as he continued his studies.

"I stayed on as a consultant and I got blamed for the paperwork," he said. "It was a simple matter of not paying attention to the right things. No one ever got hurt from our devices. No money was made fraudulently."

He was surprised when an investigator confronted him at Stanford.

"My business is done and closed five years now," he said.

The charge was the "equivalent of failing an FDA (Food and Drug Administration) inspection," he said, contending the finding of a hair in a package sent to Medtronic was due to breakage in shipping.

He said his attorney pointed out he didn't have $200,000 to mount a defense and there was no way out.

So he pleaded guilty to a felony charge.

Since moving to Santa Cruz, he has invented another surgical device, Smoke Evac Fusion, which he said has been well-received by the International Anal Neoplasia Society, doctors working to prevent and treat anal cancer, which killed actress Farrah Fawcett.

He has since remarried and he and his wife started Zinnanti Surgical to produce the new device, which has FDA approval. He said she owns 51 percent of the business, he owns 44 percent, and a friend in biotech owns the rest.

"It's a huge motivator to go out there again and do it the right way," he said.

The Sentinel was unable to reach five other doctors listed by Consumers Union as practicing in Santa Cruz County while on probation.

Robert Stewart, an attorney in San Rafael who has represented medical professionals facing accusations from the medical board, called the Consumers Union petition "an ill-considered move."

Doctors on probation require supervision and must submit quarterly reports under penalty of perjury declaring compliance with the conditions of probation.

"Someone who's already on probation has gone through this review process to make them safe," said Stewart, noting the public can look online to find the reports on doctors on probation. "The publishing on the website remains there 10 years. "It's painful and embarrassing but it's the truth."

ON PROBATION

The Medical Board of California compiled a list of California doctors on probation as of Sept. 29, 2015, and Consumers Union obtained the list with a request in accordance with the California Public Records Act.

The list includes nearly 500 doctors including six who have practiced in Santa Cruz County; one other listed practices in Santa Clara County.

Dr. Jose Felix Huerta-Ibarra: July 21, 2011. Five years; Oct. 15, 2014 medical board petitions to revoke probation.

Dr. Katherine Ann Kenny: March 7, 2013. Five years.

Dr. Elias S. Rodriguez: April 2, 2015. Five years.

Dr. Jeffrey A. Solinas: Nov. 9, 2012. Five years.

Dr. James E. Spitler: Nov. 29, 2012. Five years; probation terminated early on Oct. 2, 2015 by judge ruling he made changes in his life and met all conditions imposed by the medical board.

Dr. William J. Zinnanti: Jan. 10, 2014. Seven years.

Source: Consumers Union Safe Patient Project

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