GUILTY TX - Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz Jr., suspected of tampering with IV bags causing 1 death & at least 10 cardiac complications. **arrest Sept 14, 2022**

[tamsidea]

Authorities arrest North Dallas doctor accused of tampering with IV bags
On June 21, Dr. Melanie Kaspar, 55, an anesthesiologist who had also worked at Baylor Scott & White Surgicare North Dallas, took a saline bag from the facility to her Lakewood home to treat herself for dehydration. When she gave herself the IV, she “almost immediately had a serious cardiac event and died,”

North Texas anesthesiologist Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz Jr. arrested following license suspension
Ortiz' suspension was announced last Friday after the Texas Medical Board called an emergency meeting Friday after hearing from federal law enforcement.According to the Board's order, Ortiz was seen on surveillance footage in the surgical center depositing single IV bags into the warmer in the hall outside operating rooms, and that "shortly thereafter a patient would suffer a serious complication."
The Board said lab tests on IV bags taken from the same warmer found "visible tiny holes in the plastic wrap around the bags." It said those bags contained bupivacaine, but were not labeled as such.

Investigation into doctor reveals at least 10 more ‘unexpected cardiac emergencies’

•On June 21, authorities were called to Kaspar’s home in Lakewood after her husband said she gave herself an IV, then complained of severe pain roughly half an hour later before collapsing, according to a police incident report. Paramedics were unable to revive her.
•Another compromised IV bag left an 18-year-old on a ventilator following what the board called a “routine surgery.”
On Aug. 24, the patient went in for surgery at the center to repair a deviated septum, but the procedure was halted when his blood pressure spiked so high it caused severe respiratory distress.
The patient was intubated and placed on a ventilator.
•Surgical center personnel identified 10 additional “unexpected cardiac emergencies” that happened during “otherwise unremarkable surgeries” between May and August, an “exceptionally high rate of complications over a short period of time,” the U.S. attorney’s office said.

 

[Spyralflare]

This one is incredibly sick.

 

[tamsidea]

CBS-11 They're trying to crucify me,' details emerge in Dallas anesthesiologist Raynaldo Ortiz Jr. investigation

Department of Justice Press Release - Texas Anesthesiologist Arrested on Criminal Charges Related to Alleged Tampering with IV Bags Implicated in Death, Surgical Emergencies

So my take from this local CBS News Story and from the DOJ Press Release LE is speculating that Ortiz was targeting patients of other doctors at the Baylor Scott and White Surgicare in North Dallas because he felt like the Surgical Center was trying to hurt his career. The "incidents" started occurring 2 days after he was
"notified of a disciplinary inquiry stemming from an incident in which he allegedly 'deviated from the standard of care' during an anesthesia procedure when a patient experienced a medical emergency." And he had expressed to a colleague that he would be "financially devastated" if he were blocked from practicing at the Surgical Center.
They are not saying whether his acts were out of retaliation or if he somehow thought he would be off the hook if other doctors started having issues too.
The DOJ Press release also lists multiple instances of domestic violence in his past as well as an animal cruelty charge.

 

[LizzyE]

@tamsidea, thank you very much for bringing this to WS. I had (over)heard 2 colleagues in passing talking about this at work today and although anesthesiology is not one of my 2 board certifications, I always do my best to follow cases surrounding negligence, malfeasance, other criminality or possibly even downright murder/manslaughter within the medical community. Will definitely be following and anxiously awaiting updates.

 

[tamsidea]

@tamsidea, thank you very much for bringing this to WS. I had (over)heard 2 colleagues in passing talking about this at work today and although anesthesiology is not one of my 2 board certifications, I always do my best to follow cases surrounding negligence, malfeasance, other criminality or possibly even downright murder/manslaughter within the medical community. Will definitely be following and anxiously awaiting updates.

@LizzyE I'm local and have been trying to follow the story since the Surgical Center shut down earlier this month while they investigated what happened with the 18-year-old's case. My oldest son has had a lot of surgeries over his 18 years including open heart surgery @ 4 months old and I am all too familiar with the risks of anesthesia (especially in his case) But I also know the risks are relatively low for an otherwise healthy person. If what LE and the medical investigators have put together is true (and it sure sounds like a pretty solid case so far) then the death of a 55 year old and the high instance of near deaths of several others over 50 at this same center were going unnoticed over the last 4 months until the 18 year old had complications. That's so scary!
It's also scary that his actions resulting in someone's death didn't stop him from continuing!

 

[Ray_of_hope]

@tamsidea, thank you very much for bringing this to WS. I had (over)heard 2 colleagues in passing talking about this at work today and although anesthesiology is not one of my 2 board certifications, I always do my best to follow cases surrounding negligence, malfeasance, other criminality or possibly even downright murder/manslaughter within the medical community. Will definitely be following and anxiously awaiting upd

CBS-11 They're trying to crucify me,' details emerge in Dallas anesthesiologist Raynaldo Ortiz Jr. investigation

Department of Justice Press Release - Texas Anesthesiologist Arrested on Criminal Charges Related to Alleged Tampering with IV Bags Implicated in Death, Surgical Emergencies

So my take from this local CBS News Story and from the DOJ Press Release LE is speculating that Ortiz was targeting patients of other doctors at the Baylor Scott and White Surgicare in North Dallas because he felt like the Surgical Center was trying to hurt his career. The "incidents" started occurring 2 days after he was
"notified of a disciplinary inquiry stemming from an incident in which he allegedly 'deviated from the standard of care' during an anesthesia procedure when a patient experienced a medical emergency." And he had expressed to a colleague that he would be "financially devastated" if he were blocked from practicing at the Surgical Center.
They are not saying whether his acts were out of retaliation or if he somehow thought he would be off the hook if other doctors started having issues too.
The DOJ Press release also lists multiple instances of domestic violence in his past as well as an animal cruelty charge.

Well, there we go, a sociopath. I'll bet he lit fires as a youngster too. I am so saddened to see people like him in the medical profession. Death penalty would be too kind.

From the cases I've studied, motives have appeared to be euthanasia when a caretaker can't bear to see others in pain and feel they are 'helping', wannabe heroes that want as many emergencies then saves as possible and sociopaths that enjoy killing or watching a death. Somehow we need a screening profile or tool for such personalities. I know, I know.....dream on. sigh

 

[Cryptic]

Somehow we need a screening profile or tool for such personalities. I know, I know.....dream on. sigh

I agree in that such a screening tool is probably not practical in the civilian world. As a side note, however, the military does have a very active tool that they use regarding Special Forces soldiers:

- Passing the SEAL course, Green Beret Course or Marine Force Recon course does not automatically make one a Special Forces soldier.

- Rather, graduates are then screened by commanders and senior NCO's looking for potential red flags (uncontrolled aggression, criminal personalities, indicators of political extremism of any kind, or just.... "I get bad vibes from him").

- Such men are then dismissed for "no stated reason". They can wear their earned Special Forces course tabs, but they are not assigned to actual Special Forces units.

Of course, like you implied, what is routine practice in the military, would generate endless lawsuits if graduating doctors and nurses were not allowed to practice due to "bad vibes" assessments.

 

[Cryptic]

and the high instance of near deaths of several others over 50 at this same center were going unnoticed over the last 4 months until the 18 year old had complications. That's so scary!

I think they did not notice the pattern as they had a staff meeting after one of the previous close calls.

The ability of the administration to quickly identify what was happening, however, may have been impacted by the fact that the strange medical emergencies were occurring at a surgical center and not a hospital.

In my general understanding, the center was organized in the following way:

- The center supplies nurses, technicians, equipment, and operating space. Many "outside" doctors with admitting privileges then rent (they probably have a fancier word) these facilities for a variety of surgeries. Staff doctors might just provide general oversight by ensuring that renting doctors are basically qualified etc.

- The operating doctors also bring in their own anesthesiologist. Some may have a favorite anesthesiologist; others may use whoever practice group "G" sends them.

So..... an investigation into an unusual pattern of complications could need to account for that there are many doctors contracting there whether as surgeons or supporting doctors like anesthesiologists. Some may do so routinely, others may do so rarely.

Though all are basically qualified (would not have admitting privileges if they were not), the renting doctors have varying levels of skill. They may also be bringing in patients with varying backgrounds health wise and varying lifestyles. Thus, trying to pin down the reason, whether human derived or a statistical fluke, for a strange pattern might be difficult.

 

[Cryptic]

Video of the suspect placing a tampered IV bag in a "warmer". Other videos were apparently taken by surveillance cameras, but the system had already auto deleted.

Dallas doctor dubbed 'medical terrorist' after caught tampering with IV bags

A Texas anesthesiologist was captured on video tinkering with IV bags that prosecutors say he injected with poison, causing one death and sickening 11 patients.

www.foxnews.com

 

[YaYa_521]

Video of the suspect placing a tampered IV bag in a "warmer". Other videos were apparently taken by surveillance cameras, but the system had already auto deleted.

Dallas doctor dubbed 'medical terrorist' after caught tampering with IV bags

A Texas anesthesiologist was captured on video tinkering with IV bags that prosecutors say he injected with poison, causing one death and sickening 11 patients.

www.foxnews.com

SBM

Red flags:​

• Ortiz had already lost privileges at North Garland Surgery Center after a patient in November 2020 suffered a medical emergency from "inadequate oxygenation and ventilation."
• He was found guilty of cruelty to animals and sentenced to 29 days in jail in 2016 for shooting his neighbor’s dog with a pellet gun after she helped his then-girlfriend obtain a protective order against him stemming from a domestic violence incident.
• A medical board record noted that Ortiz has a "history of violence toward women" — including a 1999 arrest for allegedly assaulting a spouse. In 2005, a different girlfriend obtained a protective order against him.

 

[Cryptic]

• Ortiz had already lost privileges at North Garland Surgery Center after a patient in November 2020 suffered a medical emergency from "inadequate oxygenation and ventilation."
• He was found guilty of cruelty to animals and sentenced to 29 days in jail in 2016 for shooting his neighbor’s dog with a pellet gun after she helped his then-girlfriend obtain a protective order against him stemming from a domestic violence incident.
• A medical board record noted that Ortiz has a "history of violence toward women" — including a 1999 arrest for allegedly assaulting a spouse. In 2005, a different girlfriend obtained a protective order against him.

Wow.

I wonder what is needed to revoke somebody's medical license?

Perhaps the fact that only one of those incidents involved patients and he only has one conviction enabled him to keep his license?

Even still, the dog shooting incident should have been approached as retribution against a person as well as cruelty to animals. A willingness to retaliate against a person coupled with his poor medical skills greatly increased the chances of further retaliation involving other incidents.

Which, with 20/20 hindsight of course, is exactly what happened. Even with the 20/20 hindsight, I think the willingness to retaliate coupled with everything should have led to a suspended license. Given his issues, I wonder if he could have gotten a position after the suspension ended?

 

[YaYa_521]

Feds Float Likely Motive of Texas Doc Accused of Putting Killer Drugs in IV Drips

Dr. Raynaldo Rivera Ortiz Jr. was arrested Wednesday after allegedly tampering with IV drugs, leaving one colleague dead and putting at least 11 other patients in grave danger.

www.thedailybeast.com

SBBM
Sep. 15, 2022

A Texas doctor accused of injecting drugs into IV bags—leading to the death of a colleague and medical emergencies in as many as a dozen patients—may have tampered with them because he was unhappy his surgery center was investigating him, authorities say. [snip] The affidavit from a special agent with the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations says there “appears to be a likely correlation between Ortiz coming under scrutiny for medical errors and the adverse events affecting other anesthesiologists’ patients” at the surgery center.

Doctor dubbed 'medical terrorist' after being spotted 'poisoning medicine'

Chilling footage shows Raynaldo Rivera Ortiz Jr, 59, from Texas, in the US, allegedly injecting poison into the IV bags of patients which killed a doctor and caused 11 heart emergencies

www.mirror.co.uk

UPDATED15:29, 27 Sep 2022
SBBM
The medic is charged with tampering with a consumer product causing death or serious injury, intentionally adulterating a drug knowing it would likely cause an adverse health reaction. If found guilty, he faces up to life in prison or the death penalty.

Texas doctor who reportedly poisoned IV bags with heart-stopping drugs held without bail

A Dallas anesthesiologist accused of poisoning IV bags with heart-stopping drugs, causing the death of a fellow doctor and cardiac emergencies for 11 patients, will remain in custody.

www.foxnews.com

September 20, 2022
SBBM
He was ordered to remain in custody while awaiting trial without bail. Though he has a public defender, prosecutors argued that the anesthesiologist is a flight risk, noting that he allegedly had $7,000 in cash on him at the time of his arrest last week, owns a $1.3 million home and five luxury cars, including a Corvette and three Mercedes-brand vehicles and has tax liens for owing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) millions of dollars.

 

[Cryptic]

The wheels of justice are turning noticeably faster post Covid....

The doctor has just been indicted.

"Medical terrorist" who allegedly tampered with IV bags indicted

A Dallas County anesthesiologist dubbed a "medical terrorist" by the U.S. Attorney's Office has been indicted on 10 counts.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[Gardenista]

Dallas anesthesiologist Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz wants to await trial outside of prison

The Dallas anesthesiologist accused of tampering with IV bags, Dr. Raynaldo Ortiz for his release from prison while he awaits trial.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[ifindedout]

From April 12, 2024: Guilty. Sentencing and date TBD.

Dallas Anesthesiologist Convicted of Tampering with IV Bags Linked to Cardiac Emergencies During Routine Surgeries

A Dallas anesthesiologist was convicted today for injecting dangerous drugs into patient IV bags, leading to one death and numerous cardiac emergencies, the Justice Department announced.

www.justice.gov

A Dallas anesthesiologist was convicted today for injecting dangerous drugs into patient IV bags, leading to one death and numerous cardiac emergencies, the Justice Department announced.

Raynaldo Riviera Ortiz Jr., 60, was charged by criminal complaint in September 2023 and indicted the following month on charges related to tampering with IV bags used at a local surgical center. After eight days of trial and seven hours of deliberation, a jury convicted him of four counts of tampering with consumer products resulting in serious bodily injury, one count of tampering with a consumer product and five counts of intentional adulteration of a drug.

“The facts brought out at trial in this case are particularly disturbing,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will work with its law enforcement partners to hold accountable anyone who puts patients’ lives at risk by tampering with critical medical products.”

“Dr. Ortiz cloaked himself in the white coat of a healer, but instead of curing pain, he inflicted it,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton for the Northern District of Texas. “He assembled ticking time bombs, then sat in wait as those medical time bombs went off one by one, toxic cocktails flowing into the veins of patients who were often at their most vulnerable, lying unconscious on the operating table. We saw the patients testify. Their pain, their fear and their trauma was palpable in that courtroom.”

“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 of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OIC). “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to monitor, investigate and bring to justice those who would risk patients’ health and safety.”

According to evidence presented at trial, between May and August 2022, numerous patients at Surgicare North Dallas suffered cardiac emergencies during routine medical procedures performed by various doctors. About one month after the unexplained emergencies began, an anesthesiologist who had worked at the facility earlier that day died while treating herself for dehydration using an IV bag. In August 2022, doctors at the surgical care center began to suspect tainted IV bags had caused the repeated crises after an 18-year-old patient had to be rushed to the intensive care unit in critical condition during a routine sinus surgery.

A local lab analyzed fluid from the bag used during the teenager’s surgery and found bupivacaine (a nerve-blocking agent), epinephrine (a stimulant) and lidocaine (an anesthetic) — a drug cocktail that could have caused the boy’s symptoms, which included very high blood pressure, cardiac dysfunction and pulmonary edema. The lab also observed a puncture in the bag.

Ortiz surreptitiously injected IV bags of saline with epinephrine, bupivacaine and other drugs, placed them into a warming bin at the facility, and waited for them to be used in colleagues’ surgeries, knowing their patients would experience dangerous complications. Surveillance video introduced into evidence showed Ortiz repeatedly retrieving IV bags from the warming bin and replacing them shortly thereafter, not long before the bags were carried into operating rooms where patients experienced complications. Video also showed Ortiz mixing vials of medication and watching as victims were wheeled out by emergency responders.

Evidence presented at trial showed that Ortiz was facing disciplinary action at the time for an alleged medical mistake made in his one of his own surgeries, and that he potentially faced losing his medical license.

At trial, doctors testified about the confusion they felt when their patients’ blood pressures suddenly skyrocketed. Reviewing medical records, they all noted the emergencies occurred shortly after new IV bags had been hung. Patients recalled waking up unexpectedly intubated in intensive care units they had been transported to via emergency medical transportation services, in pain and in fear for their lives.

A sentencing date has not yet been set. Ortiz faces a maximum penalty of 190 years in prison. The court will set his sentencing hearing at a later date.

 

[LadyL]

what was he convicted of? it should be murder IMO

 

[airportwoman]

Of course, like you implied, what is routine practice in the military, would generate endless lawsuits if graduating doctors and nurses were not allowed to practice due to "bad vibes" assessments.

Ahem, that's what job interviews are for.

I hope this guy goes to prison for life. (I wonder what was wrong with that doctor, taking an IV bag home to hydrate herself?!?)

 

[Cryptic]

Ahem, that's what job interviews are for.

Please note that I was referring to being licensed to practice, not the ability to obtain a particular position with a particular employer.

Not being allowed to practice (obtain a license) based on a fuzzy "bad vibes" finding is very different that simply being denied a position with a particular employer.

Being denied a particular job due to stated "bad vibes" is legally sustainable. But.... being denied a license to practice simply for the same reason is likely not legally sustainable with out extensive documentation (in which case, there would be more detractors than simply "bad vibes").

 

[HMSHood]

That is really disturbing.

 

[ifindedout]

what was he convicted of? it should be murder IMO

From the DOJ news release above, he was convicted of:

• four counts of tampering with consumer products resulting in serious bodily injury
• one count of tampering with a consumer product
• and five counts of intentional adulteration of a drug.