Tory Richmond, a nurse anesthetist in Arizona, is facing two wrongful death lawsuits after two dental patients died in separate procedures, according to a Nov. 5 report by ABC affiliate KNXV-TV.
It's alleged that medical negligence led to the death of a woman who died from a lack of oxygen and the death of a man whose mouth caught fire, the news publication reports. Mr. Richmond declined to comment on the lawsuits through his attorney, according to KNXV-TV.
The Arizona Board of Nursing filed a letter of concern regarding the situations, but cleared Mr. Richmond of any wrongdoing.
Sharlon Stemmons, 71, underwent a procedure Oct. 25, 2019, to have her teeth pulled at the dental office of Ehsan Pourshirazi, DDS. Through the company Lifeguard Anesthesia, Mr. Richmond was hired to provide anesthesia, though Dr. Pourshirazi's office was not licensed to perform sedation procedures, according to KNXV-TV.
Ms. Stemmons stopped breathing amid the procedure and staff began to perform CPR, calling 911 11 minutes after the crisis began, according to KNXV-TV.
"Upon information and belief, defendant Richmond and defendant Pourshirazi delayed in calling 911 because they did not want to draw attention to the fact that they were administering in-office sedation without proper license and outside their legal scope of practice and hoped that they could successfully care for Mrs. Stemmons without having to involve EMS or other providers," the lawsuit alleges.
The lawsuit alleges that Mr. Richmond failed to properly assess Ms. Stemmons before the procedure, didn't properly administer anesthesia and didn't properly respond when her oxygen levels dropped. Ms. Stemmons died 10 days later.
Dr. Pourshirazi's license is currently under stayed suspension, a spokesperson for Arizona's Board of Dental Examiners told Becker's. The board restricted Dr. Pourshirazi's ability to get an anesthetist permit and suspended his license for six months after the incident, but Dr. Pourshirazi's attorney appealed the decision, and the case is currently pending the superior court's decision.
On Aug. 28, 2020, Ralph Chapman's mouth caught fire amid oral laser surgery at Phoenix-based AZPerio, which hired Mr. Richmond through Lifeguard Anesthesia. Mr. Chapman was taken to a burn center, where he died Sept. 9, 2020, "from complications resulting from the thermal and inhalation injuries sustained during the dental procedures," according to the lawsuit filed by Mr. Chapman's wife.
The lawsuit also claims Mr. Richmond used an unsafe amount of oxygen during the surgery.
The Arizona's Board of Dental Examiners looked into both deaths, but determined that the injuries sustained occurred before dental surgery, and no dental care had been provided in either case, a spokesperson told Becker's.
In response to the lawsuits, Mr. Richmond's attorney, Peter Wittekind, emailed KNXV-TV a statement, writing, "These were two cases with tragic outcomes and our unreserved sympathy is with the families."
"Of course, if you have reviewed the Arizona State Board of Nursing file, you know that the Board combined both cases regarding Dr. Richmond, performed multiple interviews, completed a full investigation, and conducted a public hearing," the statement continues. "After its full investigation and public hearing, the Arizona State Board of Nursing concluded that Dr. Richmond did not commit any unprofessional conduct."
Mr. Richmond no longer works for Lifeguard Anesthesia.
Becker's has requested comment from Lifeguard Anesthesia, Dr. Pourshirazi's practice and AZPerio, and will update this article as more information becomes available.