Officials: Texas anesthesiologist arrested for allegedly injecting drugs in IV bags
DALLAS – A Texas anesthesiologist has been arrested for allegedly tampering with IV bags that caused one death and multiple cardiac emergencies.
According to a news release from the United States Department of Justice Northern District of Texas, Raynaldo Rivera Ortiz Jr., 59, has been charged with tampering with a consumer product that caused death and intentional drug adulteration.
The DOJ said that according to a criminal complaint, a 55-year-old female co-worker died immediately after she treated herself for dehydration with an IV bag of saline at a Dallas-area surgical center on June 21.
According to the AP, an autopsy found that the co-worker died from a lethal dose of bupivacaine. Bupivacaine is a nerve-blocking drug which is often used along with anesthesia.
Two months later on August 24, the DOJ said an 18-year-old man experience a cardiac emergency during a routine sinus surgery. A chemical analysis of the fluid from the IV bag that was used during his surgery was done after the man was taken to a hospital. The analysis found bupivacaine, epinephrine and lidocaine.
According to the AP, surgical staff concluded that the two incidents suggested there was some sort of pattern of “intentional adulteration of IV bags” used at the surgical center. Staff identified about ten other unexpected cardiac emergencies that had happened during surgeries between May and August.
The criminal complaint alleged the incidents had begun two days after Ortiz was notified of a disciplinary inquiry of an incident where he allegedly “deviated from the standard of care” when providing anesthesia to a patient had a medical emergency, according to the AP.
According to the AP, Ortiz reportedly had a history of disciplinary actions against him.
According to the DOJ, the surgical center had surveillance video outside the operating room that allegedly showed Ortiz placing the IV bags into a stainless-steel bag warmer just before the patients experienced cardiac emergencies.
“Patients expect that their doctors will use only safe and effective medical products during their surgeries. When illicit tampering occurs, serious harm and even death can result,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, in the news release. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to monitor, investigate and bring to justice those who would risk patients’ health and safety.”
The DOJ said that if Ortiz is convicted, he could face life in prison.
