2025 Complaint with the Medical Board:
2022 Complaint with the Medical Board:
2018 Complaint with the Medical Board:
2017 Complaint with the Medical Board:
2025 Lawsuit:
Dr Rochlin performed surgery on a patient in April, 2024 and the patient has filed a lawsuit alleging medical malpractice, medical battery, and violating her right to privacy.
In Arizona, a medical malpractice lawsuit requires that a qualified, comparable healthcare professional must review the case and affirm that negligence likely occurred.
The patient is being represented by the law office of Saldivar & Associates PLLC.
The patient states that while she was naked and unconscious on the operating table, Dr Rochlin brought 2 men into the room and let them watch her surgery.
The patient was not aware that strangers were standing next to her body staring at her naked breasts and pelvic area without her knowledge or consent during her surgery.
The patient states that Dr Rochlin performed liposuction on areas of her body that were not included in her consent forms, and the breast lift procedure was not performed in the way it was discussed before surgery.
Allegations of Medical Malpractice:
The patient says liposuction was done on different areas than what she approved in the consent forms. The patient signed consent forms for liposuction on her stomach. During surgery, Dr Rochin did liposuction on the sides of her body and her hips instead.
During the 2025 Board proceeding, Dr. Rochlin acknowledged performing certain surgical actions that differed from the patient’s expectations and documented agreements.
Allegations of Medical Malpractice:
Dr Rochlin completed an implant exchange and breast lift. The patient reports that both implants have shifted and are sliding down the patients chest underneath each breast, and resting on the patients ribcage and bulging out directly under the skin.
The patient has consulted with a plastic surgeon who specializes in corrective surgeries, and he advised that the cost to fix the breast lift will be over $39,000 as muscle repair will be needed along with a revised breast lift. Corrective liposuction will cost $8000.
During the 2025 Board proceeding, Dr. Rochlin acknowledged performing certain surgical actions that differed from the patient’s expectations and documented agreements.
Allegations of Medical Battery:
The patient only wanted an implant exchange, but Dr Rochlin advised that she should also get a breast lift and stated that the procedure could be done using the donut lift technique, which would not leave visible scars. The patient advised that under no circumstances would they consent to the surgery if it was done with the lollipop lift technique. The patient signed consent forms for the donut lift technique and advised Dr Rochlin that she only consented to the procedure if it was performed with that technique.
During surgery, Dr Rochlin completed the breast lift on both breasts using the donut lift technique, but advised the patient after surgery that she didn’t like how the right breast looked, so she then proceeded to perform a vertical incision lollipop lift on the right breast only, leaving the right breast with 3 incisions. In the post-op checkup, she acknowledged that she had done the vertical incision against the patients explicit instructions, the verbal pre-op agreement, and written consent forms.
The patient states that during her post-op appointment, Dr Rochlin told her, “I know we agreed not to do that incision, and I really thought about it during the surgery, but I decided the only way to make your breasts match was to cut your right breast. I looked at the other scars you got from your last surgery, and you healed so well that they’re hardly visible, so I decided to go ahead and do that incision because you heal really well, and the scar will hardly be noticeable. Don’t worry, it will be fine. We can do laser on it if it bothers you.”
During the 2025 Board proceeding, Dr. Rochlin acknowledged performing certain surgical actions that differed from the patient’s expectations and documented agreements.
Supreme Court Ruling on Medical Battery in Arizona:
The Arizona Supreme Court ruled that it is considered medical battery when doctors lie to or mislead patients and perform procedures without a patients consent. When a patient gives permission for one type of treatment, and the doctor performs another, that is considered battery. For example, performing surgery with a technique that the patient specifically rejected before surgery.
Duncan v. Scottsdale Medical Imaging, Ltd., Supreme Court of Arizona, en banc (the full court),
CV-02-0191-PR, June 16, 2003.
Allegations of Violation of a Patients Right to Privacy:
Dr Rochlin brought 2 male medical students into the operating room while the patient was naked, unconscious, and strapped to the operating table. She did not get verbal or written consent from the patient, and the only way the patient found out about the men being allowed in the operating room is when she met one of the men during her post-op appointment.
Dr Rochlin brought one of the men into the patients post-op appointment and did not state that he was a student or request consent to have the man in the room and let him view the patient naked from the waist up.
During the 2025 Arizona Medical Board proceeding, Dr. Rochlin stated that students were present and acknowledged deficiencies in communication with the patient regarding their presence. The Board issued a formal Letter of Concern related to this issue.
Dr Rochlin told the Arizona Medical Board that she has been a preceptor for 12+ years and during that time, she has not used consent forms for student observations.
Dr Rochlin advised the medical board that it is her belief that there is no requirement to obtain consent from patients to allow medical students in the operating room.
The AMA Code of Medical Ethics 3.1.2 entitled: Patient Privacy & Outside Observers to the Clinical Encounter requires a patient’s explicit consent to allow students to observe and/or participate in patient care activities.
Dr Rochlin’s lawyer stated that she is paid $800 per month for each student she allows to observe procedures in her office, and she typically has 2 students per month.
Midwestern University:
The patient filed a formal complaint with Midwestern University and spoke to the Dean of Education who said that the college signs contracts with doctors to become preceptors and oversight of what happens in the office is handled by the physician.
There is no follow-up from anyone at the college to confirm if students are getting verbal or written consent from patients allowing them to be involved in their treatment and observe surgeries, or that students are being introduced during pre-op and post-op appointments and the doctor is obtaining consent for a student to be in the room.
She stated that what happens in the doctor’s office is the doctor’s responsibility and that responsibility for clinical activities rests with the physician.