An Ontario neurosurgeon who specializes in pain treatment has been suspended for six months after a review found serious problems in his medical practice, including a patient’s death.
In a Feb. 9 decision, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario ruled that Dr. Stefan Joseph Konasiewicz failed to meet proper standards of care. He had previously been under supervision in 2022 for concerns about his work. A later review found issues in most of the patient files examined, including repeated injections that did not help.
In 2024, Konasiewicz performed nerve-block injections on a 70-year-old patient who later collapsed and died. A separate investigation found his technique did not meet accepted standards and posed significant risks. The coroner determined the patient received an injection into the spinal canal.
The CPSO had already ordered him to stop performing these injections, but a complaint in 2025 alleged he continued. He was suspended again on May 12, with the penalty extended to six months.
Konasiewicz must also appear before a panel for a reprimand and will need to work under supervision for a year when he returns to practice.
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Ontario, healthcare, neurosurgeon, doctor suspension, patient death, medical misconduct, CPSO, investigation, Canada health, discipline
