University of Utah Health and Intermountain Healthcare, both based in Salt Lake City, have promised to investigate the death of a man who died a week after getting nine of his teeth pulled at the university's student dental clinic, reports Fox's KSTU.
Joshua Cordery, 35, died of lung damage caused partly by the bacterial infection streptococcus intermedius bacteremia, according to his death certificate cited by KSTU. A medical examiner wrote the flu and bronchopneumonia also contributed to the lung damage.
A few days after Mr. Cordery's oral procedure, the back of his mouth was yellow and white, and his breath "smelled foul," Jamie Cordery, Mr. Cordery's wife, told KSTU. Jamie Cordery called the University of Utah Health clinic, who wouldn't prescribe antibiotics for Mr. Cordery over the phone. The next day, Mr. Cordery went to the emergency room at Intermountain's Heber Valley Medical Center with a bad cough. He was not diagnosed at that time with pneumonia or a bacterial infection in his mouth or bloodstream, and wasn't prescribed antibiotics during either visit.
Mr. Cordery died two days later. An autopsy revealed streptococcus intermedius bacteremia in his bloodstream matching the bacteria in his mouth.
Stanley Lane, DDS, an attorney and oral surgeon not associated with the case, told KSTU that he thinks Mr. Cordery should have been prescribed antibiotics at the time of his teeth extraction due to a medical record showing periodontitis, opioid abuse and poor oral hygiene.
"People who are long-time drug use[r]s generally have a compromised immune system," Dr. Lane said.
Medical records indicate Joshua Cordery had been diagnosed with periodontitis at the time of the procedure.
"There's no question, when an infection is present… antibiotics should be given either before the surgery, during the surgery or for sure subsequent to the surgery," Dr. Lane said.
A spokesperson for University of Utah Health sent the following statement to KSTU: "We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mr. Cordery. The safety and care of our patients is our primary concern and while treating this patient, our team provided care based on best practices and on guidelines recommended by the American Dental Association and the American Heart Association. We are currently interviewing our teams and looking into our processes to gain a better understanding of what happened in this case and we are committed to making changes if needed to improve our care. We only just learned of Mr. Cordery's passing but we will be reaching out to family members to discuss their concerns."
An Intermountain Healthcare spokesperson sent the following emailed statement to KSTU: "Intermountain Heber Valley Hospital takes all patient concerns seriously. We investigate each complaint and work to resolve any issues with those involved. We are investigating this concern and will discuss the results with the family at its conclusion."