A Miami woman suffered severe brain damage and was forced to work around the clock after her terminally ill anesthesiologist administered a “large amount” of fentanyl during what her husband's lawsuit claims was an “unnecessary” dental procedure. treatment was required.
On May 10, 2022, Maria Lugo Quelares accused Dr. Jerry Teague of administering an excessive amount of anesthetic to her without first intubating her, according to a filed civil medical malpractice complaint. His heart stopped beating, he was unable to breathe, and he almost died. by her patient's husband, Luis España.
According to the complaint, Lugo had gone to Nunnally Freeman & Owens, a dental clinic in Marble Falls, Texas, for “an extraction of a tooth that had undergone root canal treatment for suspected 'cavitation' and asymptomatic symptoms.”
In preparation for the surgery, Lugo was treated with about 400 grams of fentanyl, a powerful narcotic used for severe pain, along with the sedative midazolam and the anesthetic lidocaine, according to a previously cited police report. That's what it means. San Antonio Express News.
Dr. Robert Eltner, a California anesthesiologist who was not involved in Lugo's case, told news outlets in April 2023 that “400 micrograms of fentanyl is a lot for someone who is having a tooth extracted.”
Teague, who worked as an anesthesiologist at a Marble Falls clinic, gave Lugo a cocktail of drugs the day after he failed to return from an evening walk and was reported missing by his wife.
According to España's complaint, Teague's wife told police that her husband suffers from “cognitive impairment” because he was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and given less than a year to live.
Teague returned home just 45 minutes after he was reported missing and told his wife and police he was dehydrated and disoriented.
He refused to go to the hospital.
The next morning, Teague's wife drove him to the doctor's office because she didn't want to risk a repeat of the previous day's events, according to court filings.
Lugo, who was Teague's only patient that day, did not know about his disappearance, and neither Teague nor the dentist gave him informed consent for the anesthesia, the lawsuit alleges. .
Teague failed to intubate Lugo, who had overdosed on anesthetic drugs, “without airway protection,” according to court filings.
A scheduled dental surgery was canceled as the patient was taken by paramedics to St. David's Medical Center in Austin.
Marble Falls Police Department
Just two weeks after the failed dental appointment, Teague died of cancer.
He was 70 years old.
Lugo currently lives in a neurological rehabilitation facility in Florida, where he receives 24-hour care.
She is breathing through a tracheostomy and being fed through a tube.
España is suing the clinic and dentists Dr. Lane Freeman and Dr. Stuart Nunnally for negligence, alleging that they “suggested, planned, and performed unnecessary dental procedures” and sedated her “without just cause.” He is accused of administering drugs. was denied.
Lugo heard about this from Dr. Ludwig Johnson and decided to seek treatment at a clinic in Texas, according to the complaint. Dr. Ludwig Johnson, an Instagram influencer with 1.9 million followers, featured Freeman and Nunnally in a YouTube video about the dangers of rooting. canal.
“They told the audience that 'cavitation' is a wound in the mouth where a tooth, such as a wisdom tooth, has been removed, and that its toxicity can be comparable to gangrene,” according to España's recent court filing. “I explained.”
España said in a sworn statement that his wife had been examined by three doctors who told her that her “low energy, depression, heart problems, rheumatoid arthritis, and thyroid problems were probably caused by a tooth that had undergone root canal treatment. He claimed that he was convinced that the cause was the gap under the tooth that had fallen out. They called it cavitation. ”
“The doctors convinced her that she had a dental problem that caused an autoimmune problem and was causing these health problems,” España claims, adding that it was not recommended for elective treatment. He said that he encouraged his decision to take the exam.
But he insisted that “according to accepted, sound, reliable and valid scientific medical knowledge and research, there is no evidence that surgery was necessary.”
In their response, the dentists argued that Lugo discussed the potential risks before “agreeing to the recommended treatment.”
They also claimed her injuries were caused by a “pre-existing medical condition” and “failed general anesthesia.”
According to the defendants, what happened to the patient was “an unavoidable accident in that it was not directly caused by gross negligence on the part of any party to the act.”
Espana's lawsuit also noted that Teague was listed as a staff anesthesiologist at the clinic, but the clinic distanced itself from Teague by describing him as an “independent contractor.” I tried to put it down.
Teague's professional history has been questioned, and in 2016 he was banned from practicing medicine for three years by the state Board of Dental Examiners after testing positive for fentanyl and midazolam in a hair follicle test, leading to a lawsuit and suspension. received punishment.
According to the report, the doctor stole unprescribed medicines from medicines he kept for patients.
The committee wrote that Teague's continued practice of dental anesthesiology “represents a clear, imminent, or continuing threat to a person's physical health and well-being.”
Teague's suspension ended in 2019, the same year he was hired by the Marble Falls clinic.
España is seeking unspecified damages from the dental clinic and doctors after reaching a confidential settlement with Teague's estate last month.
