Colorado plastic surgeon charged after patient, 18, died in botched breast implant surgery Dr Geoffrey Kim and his nurse anesthetist, Rex Meeker, have been charged in the death of Emmalyn. "I just had kind of a weird feeling," said Fam. Both of them love surgery centers because of money. "By preventing calls to 911 and delaying treatment for 6 hours, they caused her brain injury to be much more severe.". If its LAST and the surgeon is the one who injected it then its the surgeons fault in that case. Cookie Notice The patient never regained consciousness. New York Man Protects Baby as Racist Woman Lunges Screaming Racial Slurs, Protesters urge Mayor Adams to stop looming construction of 30-story mega jail in Manhattans Chinatown, Gemma Chan, Henry Golding and More Raising $70K for UK Campaign to Stop Asian Hate, Shanghai woman to donate $1.5 million apartment to the government after getting inspired by Chow Yun-fat, Emmalyn Nguyen, 18, underwent the procedure at Dr. Geoffrey Kims. He said in his professional opinion 911 should have been called "immediately" when Nguyen went into cardiac arrest. "Snowed" means "sedated," according to Woodruff. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. I have no doubt the plastic surgeon tried strong arming the crna to pump the breaks on calling 911, but the crna isn't subservient to the surgeon, their duty is to the patient not the surgeon, and it was grossly negligent, the blame cannot be solely pinned to one provider, and the one whom was not even doing the anesthesia at that. Additional Locations. To schedule an appointment with Mr. Rex L. Meeker, please call (303) 641-1162. The surgery was supposed to take two hours. Ive been following this case since it started. The procedure took place at Kim's Greenwood Village office, Colorado Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery. "The motion to dismiss charges against Rex Meeker indicates that prosecution is "no longer in the interests" of justice due to the discovery of new evidence and interviews since the case was filed earlier this year." That worked out well for his defense . Obviously, they are overwhelmingly happy that finally there will be some justice for Emmalyn, but at the same time, this brings up the whole ordeal all over again and it kind of has reawakened the trauma they went through," said David Woodruff, who is the attorney for Nguyens family. Read his reports or check out his bio & send him an email. A license+E62d registered nurse with advanced specialty education in anesthesia who, in collaboration with appropriate health care professionals, provides preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative care to patients and assists in management and resuscitation of critical patients in intensive care, coronary care, and emergency situations. "I just had kind of a weird feeling," Nguyens mother, Lynn Fam, told reporters after filing the lawsuit. a nurse anesthesiologist The investigation has taken more than two years to complete and involved dozens of interviews and search warrants. Nguyen suffered severe brain damage and was in a minimally conscious state before she died in October 2020. Nguyen, who reportedly saved up $6,000 for the surgery, went into a coma and died 14 months later. Kim and Rex Meeker, a nurse who has been charged with manslaughter in Nguyen's death, allegedly . Enjoy this content? (credit: CBS). "In terms of the lawsuit filed against the plastic surgeon, Geoffrey Kim, M.D. A nurse who was interviewed reported that she, Meeker, and other staff members made "multiple requests" to call 911. After graduating high school, Nguyen decided to get a breast augmentation at Colorado Aesthetics & Plastic Surgery to improve her image, the station reported. man - there was a similar case a few years ago just outside of Philadelphia. Dr. Francis Brusino is an anesthesiologist in Raleigh, NC, and is affiliated with multiple hospitals including UNC Rex Hospital . After 22 days, she was transported to a rehabilitation hospital where she receives around the clock medical care. Rex L. Meeker, CRNA earned Meeker was the nurse anesthetist for Nguyens surgery, according to court documents. He was charged with criminally negligent homicide and first-degree aggravated assault, both categorized as felonies. #2. Appointments 216.444.7246. According to Arapahoe County Sherriff's Office, 52-year-old Dr. Geoffrey Kim turned himself in on Wednesday and was charged with criminally negligent homicide and first-degree aggravated assault. In fact, after handling hundreds of medical negligence cases over my legal career, Ive only seen one physician face criminal prosecution and a prison sentence. A nurse under criminal investigation in connection with the death of a 19-year-old patient who died after breast augmentation surgery turned himself in to Arapahoe County authorities. The lawsuit states that standard care for anesthesia requires a qualified staff member's ongoing presence to monitor vital signs. Meeker finally called 911 more than five hours after Nguyen was first given anesthesia, the familys lawsuit said. Nguyen underwent a breast augmentation surgery in August 2019. Emmalyn Nguyen, 18, in a vegetative state after cosmetic surgery gone wrong. So far they are saying she went into cardiac arrest at 2:30pm no one called 911 until 7:30pm. An initial lawsuit filed in December named Dr. Geoffrey Kim, M.D., nurse anesthetist Rex Meeker and Shay Hurbert, R.N., The family attorney, David Woodruff, said the lawsuit is now being converted into a wrongful death suit. "It puts the patient to sleep much faster, but also greatly increases the risk that they will stop breathing.". (credit: CBS). I wonder what really happened. ", Woodruff, their attorney, calls the delay in summoning help "unbelievable. She said her daughter, a graduate of Mountain Range High School, was healthy and had saved up for the $6,000 procedure, which many of her friends and family had undergone before. ", "The judicial system cannot bring Emmalyn back, but what it can do is punish the people who caused her death and send a message to the entire medical community that doctors and nurses will be held to the same standard as other people. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. That's unconscionable.". Market data provided by Factset. Meeker was reportedly involved in a similar incident in 2007. Nguyen had gone to Kim at Colorado Aesthetic and Plastic Surgery for a breast augmentation on Aug. 1, 2019. The lawsuit says that the pair, Dr. Geoffrey Kim and nurse anesthetist Rex Meeker, left Nguyen "unobserved" for 15 minutes after putting her under anesthesia, which the parents claim is contrary . . Connect to great care anywhere with My AZ Doc. On January 9, 2020, the Colorado Medical Board suspended Dr. Kims medical license in an order that found objective and reasonable grounds to believe that he deliberately and willfully violated the Medical Practice Act and/or that the public health, safety, or welfare imperatively required emergency action. "We didn't think anything like that was going to happen to our daughter. Insurance companies pay surgery centers less than hospitals for operating room services. administered by a nurse instead of an anesthesiologist," David Woodruff, the attorney representing Nguyen's parents, told PEOPLE. She told CBS4 that at one point Dr. Kim told her "Everything went fine, the only thing is we didn't proceed with the procedure because her heart rate dropped but she is fine. Location of surgery. In December 9, 2021 order, the Board alleged that the CRNA injected a combination of local anesthetics, both near the maximum of the recommended guidelines, and the patient had an adverse reaction. She will remain in a nursing home essentially non-functional with someone feeding her through a tube for the next 50 years, Woodruff told KDVR. According to the order, after the CRNA administered anesthesia, the patient went into cardiac arrest and began turning blue. A plastic surgeon in Colorado is facing criminal charges after one of his patients died as a result of a botched procedure. The CRNA then administered medications to reverse the sedation. A Colorado teen went into cardiac arrest and suffered irreversible brain damage just as she was about to undergo breast implant surgery and now her family is blaming doctors for the botched procedure. Rex Meeker has agreed to not practice as a certified nurse anesthetist temporarily; however, he is allowed to practice as a registered nurse in the state of Colorado. There will probably be a civil case next where the burden of proof is less and he'll be roped in again. There are very few criminal cases filed against surgeons for botched operations and it tells us there is something more going on here than just mere negligence, said 9NEWS legal expert Scott Robinson. Call (602) 795-8710. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. / CBS Colorado. An attorney for Kim declined to comment when reached by the station, saying the physician is not at liberty to speak about any specific patient. Emmelyn Nguyen of Thornton, Colorado was getting breast augmentation when supposedly the plastic surgeon, Dr. Geoffrey Kim, and the CRNA, Rex Meeker, left the operating room with the patient unattended for fifteen minutes. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Nguyen went into cardiac arrest after being given an anesthesia, but it took the medical team five hours to call 911, according to CBS Denver. Nguyens familys lawyer, David Woodruff, alleged that nurse Rex Meeker had left the then-18-year-old unattended for 15 minutes after administering the anesthesia. Here's why. Dec 20, 2019. Staffers used CPR to try to revive the teen but she never fully regained consciousness. According to a lawsuit filed by Nguyen's family, she was left unattended for about 15 minutes after Rex Meeker, the nurse anesthetist, administered the anesthesia. He added, "It did involve elements of recklessness by the providers involved and they just dont want to see this happen again. He said the most doses he has seen given to reverse anesthetics is two, the affidavit says. Please enter valid email address to continue. February 17, 2022 / 11:59 PM Didn't he induce her then leave her unmonitored? At a minimum, I recommend that patients and families asked pointed questions about anesthesia staffing before procedure. I'm a little shocked they wait that long for help. Licenses and Affiliations. The anesthesia provider involved, Rex Meeker, became a registered nurse in 1984 and certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in 1995. Emmalyn Nguyen, left, was 18 when she went into a coma and died after saving up thousands of dollars for breast implants from Dr. Geoffrey Kim. So all you hear Is the story the prosecutions atty wants you to hear. Lynn Fam tends to her daughter Emmalyn Nguyen. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The plastic surgeon, Dr. Kim, entered the operating room and immediately began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Rex Meeker, a nurse anesthetist, is also charged with manslaughter and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. Authorities said the investigation remained open and active. Narcan is a medication that is typically used to reverse drug overdoses. Dr. Francis G. Brusino MD. Popular News. He was charged with criminally negligent homicide and first-degree aggravated assault, both categorized as felonies. For more information, please see our Posted by TDLCRNA Nurse Anesthesiologist . Call 281-580-8800, Lingual nerve injury left patient with numb tongue, loss of taste, IV infiltration or extravasation can cause serious injuries, People over 25 years old have higher risk, require extra precautions, Treatments and surgeries require both an order and consent, Texas Supreme Court provides further guidance on how tort reform periodic payment law applies. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "In the context of surgery and anesthesia, it means to give a larger dose of anesthesia than the patient would normally get, in relation to age and weight," he told Fox News Digital. Join Facebook to connect with Rex Meeker and others you may know. ", Meeker, the nurse anesthetist, was involved in a similar situation in 2007. First published on February 17, 2022 / 11:59 PM. 102 shares. "If you're in the wrong hands and health care providers are not paying attention or not doing their job, it carries a risk of significant permanent injury or death and I think everyone should be aware of that. Last year, he and Meeker agreed to pay $1 million each to Nguyens family in a civil settlement, as per CBS Denver. Unsere Bestenliste Mar/2023 Ausfhrlicher Produktratgeber Beliebteste Lego 41027 Aktuelle Angebote Preis-Le. Shes young, shes healthy, shell be OK, its just taking her long to wake up.'. The motion to dismiss charges against Rex Meeker indicates that prosecution is "no longer in the interests" of justice due to the discovery of new evidence and interviews since the case was filed earlier this year.. You may have heard of that surgeon being called Dr. Death in podcasts and on a TV show. (CBS4) - A Thornton family has filed a lawsuit against a prominent doctor and a nurse anesthetist saying after their daughter suffered two cardiac arrests and brain damage during cosmetic surgery, the medical professionals overseeing her care did not call 911 for more than five hours. Even though it will never bring our daughter back, at least this will help others from getting hurt and prevent ruining other families lives," they said. Read his reports or check out his bio & send him an email. Is this the criminal case? If convicted, both could face significant prison time, 9NEWS legal expert Scott Robinson said. Hopefully bringing criminal charges will bring out the truth about what happened and will bring justice for Emmalyn.". Meeker is also facing a felony reckless manslaughter charge and turned himself in to authorities on Friday. Press J to jump to the feed. According to a 2009 lawsuit filed in that case, Harty suffered low blood pressure and a slow heart rate during the procedure which were unrecognized and led to cardiac arrest and severe brain damage. Nguyen is now in what is known as a "minimally conscious state" -- unable to speak, walk, eat or take care of herself. The family of Emmalyn Nguyen via their lawyer David Woodruff released the following statements: "We are glad we are finally getting justice for Emmalyn. Last year, he and Meeker agreed to pay $1 million each to Nguyens family in, Featured Image via Emmalyn Nguyen's family (left) and, A woman threw a house party with 65 men she matched with on Tinder and Hinge and connected with the man she's been dating for a year. I feel like this looks bad for crna independence if surgeons feel they'll be hung out to dry during intraop Anesthetic complications like this. Although the CRNA reported a normal sinus heart rhythm and oxygen saturation levels in the mid-90s, this year they decided to manually ventilate the patient and stop the infusion of sedatives. Anesthesiologists are physicians. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. That is INSANE he was dropped from the case. Rex meeker anesthesiologist plastic breast surgery, emmalyn nguyen. On Aug. 15, 2019, Nguyen's mother went to police and stated that her daughter was in the hospital with brain damage and that she believed Kim "had caused her to be there," the affidavit says. 2,924. I think the family has mixed feelings about this. Share 41 Tweet 26. Rex L. Meeker, CRNA earned a degree of a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. and nurse-anesthetist, Rex Meeker, CRNA who caused Emmalyn's catastrophic brain injury on Aug. 1, 2019: that . The mother leans in, just inches from her daughter's face. Interestingly, the Board order has a section with the heading ONSITE ANESTHESIOLOGIST. It requires that during the duration of Dr. Kims probation, hes only allowed to perform surgical procedures that require general anesthesia and conscious sedation with an anesthesiologist present in on site. During discovery in many cases, weve obtained emergency transfer agreements between outpatient surgery centers and hospitals. Pure conjecture: young female, high vagal tone, predisposed to bradycardia, has profound hypotension leading to pulselessness at some point during anesthesia/surgery, CPR/ACLS is done, still minimally . 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Before TV, Silva sisters were Hooters girls who developed boob greed, I wanted perkier boobs until my implant burst through my chest, Students banned from taking photos of trans teacher with Z-size prosthetic breasts, My husband used my boob job money on his car so I ended my marriage. COLORADO WOMAN, 18, SEVERELY BRAIN-DAMAGED AFTER BREAST IMPLANT SURGERY GONE WRONG, FAMILY SAYS. Meeker did not respond to multiple calls and text messages from CBS4 seeking comment. Dr Geoffrey Kim, 52, admitted he didn't call 911 for five hours after Emmalyn Nguyen went into cardiac arrest when she was given anesthesia by nurse Rex Meeker on August 1, 2019. FOX31 first reported on Nguyen's condition on Dec. 18, the day her parents filed a lawsuit that names the practice, its owner Dr. Geoffrey Kim, nurse anesthetist Rex Meeker, registered nurse . She reported, according to the affidavit, that the office staff told her that her daughter's heart rate had dropped but that she was "fine.". He may not be legally liable at this time, but it certainly looks like he shares at least some of the blame. has 16 years He said there is no such thing as a risk-free procedure. She reportedly developed pneumonia in her nursing home and went into cardiac arrest multiple times over a 24-hour period. There are a lot of things that caught my attention about this tragic case. A call and email to an attorney believed to be representing Meeker were also not returned. "That's a really long time," Fam said, referring to the gap between the cardiac arrest and the 911 call. . msn back to msn home news Skip To . She went into cardiac arrest and began turning blue during the procedure. Even though it will never bring our daughter back, at least this will help others from getting hurt and prevent ruining other families' lives," the family said, according to CBS News. Emmalyn Nguyen, 18, underwent the procedure at Dr. Geoffrey Kims Colorado Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery in Greenwood Village on Aug. 1, 2019. Even though it will never bring our daughter back, at least this will help others from getting hurt and prevent ruining other families' lives. A warrant has likewise been issued for his arrest, though he is not yet in custody. (2) A registered nurse who is qualified by special training to administer anesthesia in collaboration with a physician or dentist and who can assist in the care of patients who are in critical condition. Robert Painter is an award-winning medical malpractice attorney at Painter Law Firm PLLC, in Houston, Texas. "She would be alive today if they had done their jobs right.". They dont want any other family to have to go through this kind of trauma.". Meeker was the nurse anesthetist. 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The familys primary interest in seeing this criminal case being pursued is to make sure this doesnt ever happen to anyone else. , shell be OK, its just taking her long to wake up..! Such thing as a risk-free procedure, I recommend that patients and families pointed... Investigation has taken more than five hours after nguyen was first given,! I recommend that patients and families asked pointed questions about anesthesia staffing before procedure join to. 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