Texas anesthesiologist accused of intentionally compromising IV bags, leading to death of coworker and injuries to multiple patients
A Dallas anesthesiologist has been arrested on allegations of purposely tampering with IV bags, leading to the death of one of his coworkers and injuries to several people, federal prosecutors said Thursday.
The Justice Department announced federal criminal charges against Raynaldo Rivera Ortiz Jr. for allegedly injecting nerve blocking agents and other drugs into patient IV bags, leading to the death of a co-worker at a surgical center, along with cardiac emergencies for multiple patients, according to a press release from the U.S Attorney's Office.
Ortiz faces federal counts of tampering with a consumer product and intentionally adulterating drugs.
The criminal complaints states that on June 21, one of Ortiz's 55-year-old female coworkers died immediately after using an IV bag taken from the surgical center where she and Ortiz worked. An autopsy found that she died from a lethal dose of a nerve blocking agent often used during the administration of anesthesia, prosecutors said.
On Aug. 24, an 18-year-old male patient experienced a cardiac emergency during surgery and was hospitalized, prosecutors said.
Workers at the surgical center were then able to single out 10 additional instances where patients experienced unexpected cardiac emergencies during "otherwise unremarkable" surgeries between May and August 2022, prosecutors said.
Surveillance video connected Ortiz to several of the incidents, according to the complaint.
In one instance, Ortiz was captured placing a single IV bag inside a stainless-steel bag warmer, scanning the hallway, and quickly walking away. Just one hour later, a 56-year-old woman suffered a cardiac emergency during a cosmetic surgery after a bag from the warmer was used during her procedure, prosecutors said.
In another instance, Ortiz was observed leaving his operating room carrying an IV bag hidden in a paper folder and swapping it for another bag from the warmer. About 30 minutes later, a 54-year-old woman suffered a cardiac emergency during a scheduled cosmetic surgery after a bag from the warmer was used during her procedure, according to the criminal complaint.
Prosecutors said all of the incidents began two days after Oritz was notified of a disciplinary inquiry for "deviating from the standard of care" during an anesthesia procedure. In addition, all the incidents took place around the time Ortiz was working in the facility, and none took place while he was on vacation. Prosecutors added that Ortiz complained to his co-workers that the center was trying to "crucify" him.
If convicted as charged, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
