Cardiologist Dr. Mark Midei faces 175 lawsuits claiming he implanted unnecessary stents

(CBS) BALTIMORE - Baltimore cardiologist Dr. Mark Midei is facing a growing number of lawsuits - now 175 - after another two dozen filings alleging he implanted unnecessary stents in his patients, according to CBS Baltimore. 

The patients' attorney, Jay Miller, says there are potentially many more victims. He plans to file another 45 more lawsuits next month alone, claiming Midei gave them unneeded stents - tiny devices designed to open blocked arteries.

"The fraud's the same in every one," he said. "There was a lie perpetrated against the people, 'You need a stent.' And then they'd find out they didn't need a stent," Miller told the station.

Vicki Mars is one of the 150 original patients suing Midei and St. Joseph Medical Center where the surgeries were done. Mars says Midei told her that her arteries were blocked. "Dr. Midei said it was 90 percent," she said. "And after they reviewed everything, it was 10 percent."

St. Joseph did, in fact, notify about 500 patients that they may have unnecessary stents. However, 23 more have now come forward, many who say the hospital never did inform them.

According to CBS Baltimore, Miller said, "I think it's just further evidence that this conspiracy, this fraud, runs much deeper than anyone originally believed."

Midei says he stands by the procedures he performed. In July 2011 he said, "What I did was what I would want for myself, for anybody in my family, my mother, my father. They were treated appropriately and for the highest regard for their well-being."

Miller says tens of millions of dollars are at stake, but some patients, like Mars, hope for more punishment. "I'd like to see him do some jail time," she said.

In the meantime, Midei's medical license has been revoked.