Eastern Iowa plastic surgeon charged with incompetence

Eastern Iowa plastic surgeon charged with incompetence

Clark Kauffman

Thu, January 15, 2026 at 7:04 PM UTC

3 min read

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(Photo courtesy of the Iowa Board of Medicine)

An eastern Iowa plastic surgeon, who has been accused of negligence by six Iowans, has been charged by state regulators with professional incompetence.

The Iowa Board of Medicine has charged Dr. Kahlil Jihad Andrews of Coralville with practicing medicine in a manner that is harmful or detrimental to the public, professional incompetence, and improper management of medical records.

The board has not publicly disclosed any information as to the conduct that gave rise to the charges other than to say it took place while Andrews worked as a surgeon in the Coralville area. State records indicate the charges stem from two separate investigations initiated in 2023 and 2024.

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A hearing on the charges is scheduled for March 25 and 26, 2026.

“Dr. Andrews appreciates the board’s commitment to fulfilling its critical mission while he continues to honor his own commitment to the best possible outcomes for his patients within the standard of care,” Andrews said in a written statement to the Iowa Capital Dispatch. “He respectfully, but categorically, denies the allegations and charges asserted by the board and will proceed to defend his care while ensuring that he receives the due process to which he is entitled under Iowa law.”

Andrews has been an Iowa-licensed physician since October 2012.

Six Iowans have alleged negligence

In 2018, Andrews and Physicians Clinic of Iowa were sued for negligence by Marcia Bowman and LaDonna Fairbanks of Linn County, each of whom alleged they were left with deformities resulting from operations performed by Andrews. Andrews and the clinic denied any wrongdoing. Both women subsequently dropped their lawsuits. The available court records make no mention of any out-of-court settlements.

In 2022, Sandra Strunk-Sosalla of Linn County sued Andrews and Dr. Andrews Plastic Surgery for negligence related to an alleged chin implant deformity. After corrective surgery was performed to install a second implant, Strunk-Sosalla allegedly lost movement in her lower lip, which led to problems with speaking and eating, as well as the removal of the second implant and a series of treatments at the Mayo Clinic. The case went to trial, where a jury found no fault with Andrews’ care.

In November 2023, Jocelyn Meade of Johnson County sued Andrews and Dr. Andrews Plastic Surgery, alleging she sustained nerve damage and significant scarring resulting from liposuction and an abdominoplasty performed by Andrews. Andrews and the clinic denied any wrongdoing, and the lawsuit was dropped in April 2024 with no mention of an out-of-court settlement.

Also in November 2023, Kelsi Ziemann of Polk County sued Andrews and Dr. Andrews Plastic Surgery for negligence related to liposuction and several other procedures that allegedly led to infections, swelling, scarring and disfigurement. Andrews and the clinic have denied any wrongdoing. Court records indicate the case remains open and active.

In December 2025, Taylor Worrall of Dubuque County sued Andrews and Dr. Andrews Plastic Surgery for negligence related to liposuction and other procedures that allegedly led to infections, blistering, abscesses and disfigurement. The case remains open and active, although court records show Andrews and the clinic have not filed responses to the allegations, and there has been no activity in the case for 13 months.

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