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A Texas anesthesiologist received a 190-year prison sentence in November 2024 for tampering with IV bags at a North Dallas surgical center, resulting in multiple cardiac emergencies and one death. The case highlights critical gaps in monitoring physician behavior and raises important questions about colleague vigilance in healthcare settings.
Key Points:
- Dr. Raynoldo Rivera Ortiz Jr. was linked to 10 cardiac emergencies and one death within a 5-month period in 2022. Security footage revealed him tampering with IV bags, leading to contamination with medications including epinephrine and bupivacaine.
- The investigation began after an 18-year-old patient experienced severe complications during routine surgery and another physician, Dr. Melanie Kaspar, died after using a contaminated IV bag to treat dehydration at home.
- A colleague, Dr. Chad Marsden, initiated the investigation after noticing an unusual spike in emergency transfers – the facility saw as many transfers in August 2022 as in all of 2021. His discovery of punctured IV bags led to FDA involvement.
- Despite a documented history of violence, including multiple assault charges and protective orders filed against him between 1995-2014, Dr. Ortiz maintained his medical license with only minimal disciplinary action.
- The jury convicted Dr. Ortiz on multiple counts, including five counts of intentional drug adulteration and four counts of tampering with consumer products resulting in serious injury. His sentence will be served consecutively.
Allan Zarkin, a New York gynecologist, was charged with first-degree assault for carving his initials into the abdomen of a woman who had just delivered her baby by caesarean section; he surrendered his license, received five years probation in a plea agreement, and was barred from applying for a medical license for five years. (The New York Times)
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