Chicago area Dentists continue to have deaths from Anesthesia

[lobelsteve]

---

Members don't see this ad.

A Chicago middle school principal died Monday during a root canal procedure, according to a report Tuesday from the Chicago Tribune.

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday for Georgette Watson, 46, of Skokie, Ill. Authorities believe Watson suffered a heart attack while in the dentist's chair at the offices of Feldman & Feldman DDS.

Watson had been principal of Brentano Math and Science Academy, a Chicago-area kindergarten through 8th grade school, since 2003.

Click here to read the whole story

Watson had been sedated before the procedure, but it was unclear whether she was unconscious or was given local anesthetic, police said. Office staff tried to revive Watson before paramedics arrived but were unsuccessful.

The licenses of Lawrence W. Feldman and Joseph D. Feldman were put on probation in July "due to substandard dental work and failure to maintain records," the Tribune reported. Dentists on probation are allowed to continue practicing with certain restrictions, according to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation Web site.

 

[Bifid Uvula]

Here we go again... another round of dentist bashing (which will innevitably not distinguish between General Practicioners and those specialists fully-trained in anesthesia like Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons or Dental Anesthesiologists).

 

[lobelsteve]

Here we go again... another round of dentist bashing (which will innevitably not distinguish between General Practicioners and those specialists fully-trained in anesthesia like Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons or Dental Anesthesiologists).

Not bashing, not a gas man.

It just seems like most of these cases come from the Chicago area....

Kind of like tornado=trailer park.

 

[gasnewby]

Here we go again... another round of dentist bashing (which will innevitably not distinguish between General Practicioners and those specialists fully-trained in anesthesia like Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons or Dental Anesthesiologists).

i know...like the title thread..."continue"? come on.

omfs residents rotate in our sicu, trauma service, general surgery services...they are well-trained and well-respected.

 

[Bifid Uvula]

I didn't mean anything specific to most of you guys and gals on this forum. The vast majority of you have probably had very good experiences with the OMFS Attendings/Residents and Private Practicioners whether you were providing the anesthesia for them or training the OMFS residents for 4-6 months while on your service. (On a side note if you polled most OMFS residents if they were to do anything other than OMFS about 75% would say Anesthesiology)

Its just so damn frustrating to see this happen time and time again to unfortunate patients (99.99999% of the time in the care of someone other than an Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon, Dental Anesthesiologist or Medical Anesthesiologist).

Happy Holidays...

 

[thegasman]

Here we go again... another round of dentist bashing (which will innevitably not distinguish between General Practicioners and those specialists fully-trained in anesthesia like Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons or Dental Anesthesiologists).

I disagree with your characterization of OMFS as fully-trained in anesthesia. Our OMFS residents do 6 months of anesthesia training and are very competent. They are qualified to provide sedation for healthy patients, and capable of basic airway management. This does not make them fully trained in anesthesia. That requires 4 years of residency. I do agree that there is a big difference between an OMFS with anesthesia training and a general dentist.

 

[gasnewby]

they're fully trained for what they need to do. they're not exactly taking transplant call.

 

[Bifid Uvula]

they're fully trained for what they need to do. they're not exactly taking transplant call.

We are on the same page. I'm talking about ASA I, II and some select ASA III's. By fully trained I certainly don't mean transplant/cardiac/infant etc etc...

Fully in my case referrered to:
-4-6 months of formal anesthesia training and another 3 years of 3-10 cases/day of IV Sedation in our regular clinic.
-Competent Airway Management (Mask Ventillation, Oral Intubation, LMA's, Cric's and Tracheostomy)
-Thorough pharmacology knowledge
-BLS, ACLS, PALS and ATLS
-20-25% of our board certification written and oral examination is devoted to Anesthesia. (Evaluation and Management of Co-Existing Disease, Emergency Management/Difficult Airway etc).

We will gladly bring the "sick ones" and obese/dangerous airways to the Main OR or bring down a CRNA or Anesthesiologist to the clinic when warranted. In our residency this happens at least 5-6 times a week. The Anesthesiologist or CRNA will come down to do the case as a M.A.C. for us (But the cool thing is they typically will stay in a supervisory role and have the OMFS Resident who isn't performing the surgery run the case for additional training/exposure and education). Its fantastic that the majority of our Anesthesia department loves to teach.