A prominent orthopedic surgeon has filed a lawsuit against a certifying board, alleging that his certification was wrongfully revoked due to his outspoken criticism of a widely-used surgical device. Ardavan Aslie, M.D., filed the complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on January 8, 2025, against the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS).
Dr. Ardavan Aslie claims that ABOS unfairly failed him in an oral recertification examination after he publicly criticized the use of pedicle screws in spinal surgeries. Dr. Aslie has been practicing as an orthopedic spine surgeon since completing his fellowship at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston in 2002 and has been certified by ABOS since 2005. He alleges that despite meeting all necessary requirements for recertification and passing previous examinations without issue, ABOS required him to take an oral exam instead of the standard written test. Dr. Aslie believes this was a targeted action due to his vocal stance against pedicle screws, which he argues are dangerous and ineffective based on multiple peer-reviewed studies.
In his complaint, Dr. Aslie details how he became aware of the potential dangers associated with pedicle screws around 2015 and began advocating for their discontinuation in spinal surgeries. He cites various international studies from 1996 to 2018 that question the efficacy and safety of these devices. Additionally, Dr. Aslie references a U.S. Senate investigation revealing financial ties between Medtronic—a major manufacturer of pedicle screws—and certain surgeons who promoted their use.
Dr. Aslie contends that ABOS's decision not only lacked transparency but also violated his rights under 42 U.S.C § 1983 by denying him due process and fair procedure before taking adverse action against his certification status. The lawsuit accuses ABOS of acting with malice and conscious disregard for Dr. Aslie’s rights, aiming to suppress dissenting opinions within the medical community.
The consequences for Dr. Aslie are severe; without ABOS certification, he cannot maintain hospital privileges or work as a medical expert witness—roles essential to his career as an orthopedic surgeon specializing in spine surgery. The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages for economic loss and emotional distress, reinstatement of Dr. Aslie’s certification, punitive damages for alleged malicious conduct by ABOS, injunctive relief preventing further wrongful actions by the board, attorney fees, costs incurred during litigation proceedings as well as any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing Dr. Ardavan Aslie is Fenton Jurkowitz Law Group LLP with attorneys Henry Fenton and Benjamin Fenton leading the case before Judge [Name Not Provided]. The case identification number is 1:25-cv-00207.