A law firm claims hundreds of people in Central Florida are dealing with complications from an experimental spine surgery performed at Florida Hospital.

Florida Hospital sent out a letter to patients dated February 14, notifying those patients they’ve stopped a doctor from performing a spine surgery they say was experimental in nature.  In the letter, Florida Hospital acknowledges the doctor peforming the surgeries was not following all protocols.

The surgery was designed to help patients get more mobility, and was offered to patients as an alternative to a cervical or lumbar fusion.

But in a Friday afternoon news conference, Attorney John Morgan said his law firm now represents hundreds of patients who had the surgery, yet did not get the relief the surgery promised.

"You've got a lot of folks out there that had this experimental surgery, at a major hospital, and his procedure is failing. And it's failed some of our clients. And we have got lots and lots of clients," said John Morgan, with Morgan and Morgan.

News 13 reached out Friday to Florida Hospital, which had this response:

“Dr. William Lu, one of our neurosurgeons, has been performing an experimental, surgical procedure as an alternative to conventional spinal surgery for the past five years. The goal of this procedure was to be less invasive, have a faster recovery time, and provide greater spinal flexibility. However, an internal review of this experimental surgery revealed that appropriate protocols were not followed.  The hospital has suspended performing any more of these surgeries.

"In addition, Dr. Lu is no longer operating or seeing patients at Florida Hospital at this time. We have notified the appropriate federal and state agencies of this issue. We sent the letter to our patients because it was the appropriate thing to do.

"We have asked Dr. Lu’s patients, who underwent this surgery, to contact us, so that we can arrange a medical evaluation. We are committed to our patients and will work to provide their continued care.”

John Morgan said his law firm has not filed a lawsuit at this point, but is continuing to investigate the claims.

Dr. William Lu has had problems before. He was disciplined by the state in 2000 for cutting open the wrong side of a man's skull during brain surgery. He then failed to report the mistake. He was fined $5,000, and ordered to take a medical records course.